The 3,600 year old coffin of a young woman was discovered in northwestern China where the archaeologists found the mysterious substance draped around her neck like jewellery. Surprisingly, it turned out to be cheese; researchers now believe it is the oldest known cheese ever found, according to Live Science .
Unique characteristics and preservation of the ancient cheese
"While regular cheese is soft, this one has dried out, becoming dense, hard, and powdery," explained Fu Qiaomei, a paleogeneticist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and co-author of a study published Tuesday in Cell.
The Bronze Age coffin was discovered during the excavation of the Xiaohe Cemetery in 2003. The arid climate of the Tarim Basin desert ensured that the woman’s coffin, along with her boots, hat, and the cheese, was remarkably well-preserved.
In ancient burial traditions, significant items were often placed with the deceased. The presence of kefir cheese near the woman indicates that cheese played an important role in their daily lives.
Historical context and evolution of cheese-making
Cheese production has been documented for millennia, with murals in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 2000 BC and evidence of European cheese-making reaching back 7,000 years. However, the cheese samples from the Tarim Basin represent the oldest physical examples discovered to date.
Fu and her team collected samples from three tombs and analysed the DNA to trace the evolution of bacteria involved in cheese-making over thousands of years. They identified the cheese as kefir, made by fermenting milk with kefir grains, and found evidence of both goat and cow milk in the samples. The study also reveals that the Xiaohe people, despite being genetically lactose intolerant, consumed dairy products prior to the advent of pasteurisation and refrigeration. The process of cheese-making, which reduces lactose levels, enabled them to incorporate dairy into their diets.
Also Read | What is the largest mountain in the world? Hint: It's not Mount Everest
Unique characteristics and preservation of the ancient cheese
"While regular cheese is soft, this one has dried out, becoming dense, hard, and powdery," explained Fu Qiaomei, a paleogeneticist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and co-author of a study published Tuesday in Cell.
The Bronze Age coffin was discovered during the excavation of the Xiaohe Cemetery in 2003. The arid climate of the Tarim Basin desert ensured that the woman’s coffin, along with her boots, hat, and the cheese, was remarkably well-preserved.
In ancient burial traditions, significant items were often placed with the deceased. The presence of kefir cheese near the woman indicates that cheese played an important role in their daily lives.
Historical context and evolution of cheese-making
Cheese production has been documented for millennia, with murals in ancient Egyptian tombs dating back to 2000 BC and evidence of European cheese-making reaching back 7,000 years. However, the cheese samples from the Tarim Basin represent the oldest physical examples discovered to date.
Fu and her team collected samples from three tombs and analysed the DNA to trace the evolution of bacteria involved in cheese-making over thousands of years. They identified the cheese as kefir, made by fermenting milk with kefir grains, and found evidence of both goat and cow milk in the samples. The study also reveals that the Xiaohe people, despite being genetically lactose intolerant, consumed dairy products prior to the advent of pasteurisation and refrigeration. The process of cheese-making, which reduces lactose levels, enabled them to incorporate dairy into their diets.
Also Read | What is the largest mountain in the world? Hint: It's not Mount Everest
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