Ancient proteins from ceramic vessels at Çatalhöyük West reveal the hidden cuisine of early farmers

A groundbreaking analysis of ancient proteins from ceramic vessels at Çatalhöyük West, a pivotal Neolithic site in Anatolia, has unveiled the hidden culinary practices of early farming communities. The study demonstrates that these vessels contained traces of mixed cereals, pulses, dairy, and meat products, with some specifically reserved for specialized foods like cow milk and milk whey. This approach, leveraging protein analysis, offers unprecedented taxonomic and tissue-specific clarity, surpassing previous lipid-based methods. Remarkably, dietary proteins were found to persist on archaeological artefacts for at least 8000 years, providing a novel window into past culinary behaviors.

Hendy, J., Colonese, A. C., Franz, I., Fernandes, R., Fischer, R., Orton, D., Lucquin, A., Spindler, L., Anvari, J., Stroud, E., Biehl, P. F., Speller, C., Boivin, N., Mackie, M., Jersie-Christensen, R. R., Olsen, J. V., Collins, M. J., Craig, O. E., & Rosenstock, E. (2018). Ancient proteins from ceramic vessels at Çatalhöyük West reveal the hidden cuisine of early farmers. Nature Communications, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06335-6