Iron age man was as fond of Swiss cheese as we are

[Judi Lynn]

Iron age man was as fond of Swiss cheese as we are

April 21, 2016
Newcastle University

Summary:Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that Swiss cheesemaking dates back to prehistoric times, paving the way for such delicacies as Gruyere and Emmental.


An international team led by the University of York and Newcastle University looked at the composition of residues left on fragments of ceramic pots found at six sites in the Swiss Alps. The shards of pottery were known to date from Neolithic times to the Iron Age. The researchers found that the residue on those from the 1st millennium BC -- the Iron Age -- had the same chemical signatures associated with heating milk from animals such as cows, sheep and goats, as part of the cheesemaking process.

The ceramic fragments examined as part of this study were found in the ruins of stone buildings similar to those used by modern alpine dairy managers for cheese production during the summer months.

Although there is earlier evidence for cheese production in lowland settings, until now virtually nothing was known about the origins of cheesemaking at altitude due to the poor preservation of archaeological sites.

The research team -- which also included scholars from the University of Liverpool as well as Swiss and Brazilian research institutes -- say that the development of alpine dairying occurred around the same time as an increasing population and the growth of arable farming in the lowlands. The resulting pressure on valley pastures forced herders to higher elevations.

More:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/04/160421141507.htm

[northernsouthern]

1. I did not know cheese was that old.

I wonder how old the oldest culture of cheese is? I wonder how much cheese cost back in the day.

[sarge43]

2. Livestock animals were domesticated about 8 thousand BCE

Sheep and goats at the start, easy to manage.

Food was routinely stored in animal stomachs. Milk, add the stomach acid and hey presto - cheese. Probably began in cooler areas because it would keep longer. Once it was figured out that salt would preserve it, cheese took off.

It's been around for awhile. Linguists believe the name begin with the proto-Indo-European word kwat, meaning sour or fermented. That's at least from 4000 to 5000BCE.

Cost would be hard to calculate as barter was it until urban societies were well under way. Cheese was a standard ration item in the Roman army, so it couldn't have been too pricey.

[northernsouthern]

3. I like the not pricey part...

...would have made drinking out of lead canteens a bit more bearable. I knew about the stomach for food, but had never put two and two together for the fact that the enzymes would have been present to make the process happen because of that. But basically the moral of this story is a guy that decided to go in to the cheese industry back 5000 BCE had a family business that was a pretty smart investment (seeing as we still love cheese).

[sarge43]

4. Probably guy's SO hit on it

"Hey honey, what is this stuff? It's great! I know, let's call it kwat and barter the hell out of it."