Publication:
Unveiling the culinary tradition of focaccia in Late Neolithic Mesopotamia by way of the integration of use-wear, phytolith, and organic-residue analyses

dc.contributor.coauthorTaranto, Sergio
dc.contributor.coauthorBarcons, Adria Breu
dc.contributor.coauthorPortillo, Marta
dc.contributor.coauthorLe Miere, Marie
dc.contributor.coauthorGomez, Anna Bach
dc.contributor.coauthorMolist, Miquel
dc.contributor.coauthorLemorini, Cristina
dc.contributor.departmentDepartment of Archaeology and History of Art
dc.contributor.kuauthorBreu, Adria
dc.contributor.schoolcollegeinstituteCollege of Social Sciences and Humanities
dc.date.accessioned2025-03-06T21:00:28Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.description.abstractRecent studies suggest that in Upper Mesopotamia during the Late Neolithic period, specifically between 6400 and 5900 BCE, simple cereal flour doughs were baked in domed ovens using ceramic pans, commonly known as husking trays. Adopting an integrated approach that investigates various types of evidence, such as use-wear, phytoliths, and organic residues, we further refined and explored this hypothesis. Analysis of a sample of 13 sherds belonging to these trays from Mezraa Teleilat, Akar and ccedil;ay Tepe, and Tell Sabi Abyad provides evidence that a limited number of them could have been used to bake 'focaccia'-like products with ingredients such as lard or oil. This research project not only further strengthens the theory that husking trays could have been used for baking, but also provides insights into the variety and elaboration of food practices that existed amongst early agricultural communities, demonstrating the existence of a number of different 'recipes' for a particular dish. Furthermore, from a methodological perspective, this study highlights how only an integrated approach can contribute to the knowledge of the various culinary traits and traditions of ancient communities.
dc.description.indexedbyWOS
dc.description.indexedbyScopus
dc.description.indexedbyPubMed
dc.description.publisherscopeInternational
dc.description.sponsoredbyTubitakEuN/A
dc.description.sponsorshipWe would like to extend our sincere gratitude to all of the excavation directors who granted us permission to analyze the fragments studied here. In particular, we would like to thank Professors Mehmet and Eylem OEzdo and gbreve;an, as well as Professor Rana OEzbal and Mihriban OEzba and scedil;aran, for their kind and generous assistance in beautiful Istanbul. Further, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to Professor Francesca Balossi for her availability and valuable insights throughout the research process. This research received funding from the I + D project: PID2019- 106399 GB-I00. Origen y Desarrollo de las primeras comunidades agrarias en el Valle del Tigris y Montes Zagros. Poblamiento, Temporralidad y AproximacionTecnologica y Cultural. IP: Miquel Molist, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion I+D+i and from Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Science of Antiquities.
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/s41598-024-78019-9
dc.identifier.grantnoI + D project [PID2019- 106399 GB-I00]
dc.identifier.issn2045-2322
dc.identifier.issue1
dc.identifier.quartileQ1
dc.identifier.scopus2-s2.0-85208602907
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-78019-9
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14288/27895
dc.identifier.volume14
dc.identifier.wos1348897100104
dc.keywordsFood
dc.keywordsLate neolithic
dc.keywordsPottery function
dc.keywordsUse-wear
dc.keywordsPhytoliths
dc.keywordsOrganic-residues
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherNature Portfolio
dc.relation.ispartofScientific Reports
dc.subjectMultidisciplinary sciences
dc.titleUnveiling the culinary tradition of focaccia in Late Neolithic Mesopotamia by way of the integration of use-wear, phytolith, and organic-residue analyses
dc.typeJournal Article
dspace.entity.typePublication
local.contributor.kuauthorBreu, Adria
local.publication.orgunit1College of Social Sciences and Humanities
local.publication.orgunit2Department of Archaeology and History of Art
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication4833084d-e402-4d8d-bee7-053d7b7ca9d7
relation.isOrgUnitOfPublication.latestForDiscovery4833084d-e402-4d8d-bee7-053d7b7ca9d7
relation.isParentOrgUnitOfPublication3f7621e3-0d26-42c2-af64-58a329522794
relation.isParentOrgUnitOfPublication.latestForDiscovery3f7621e3-0d26-42c2-af64-58a329522794

Files