Recently, a new archaeological study unveiled the mystery of prehistoric human diet in Eastern Europe, subverting people’s stereotype of early hunter-gatherer fishermen who “survived only on fish.” Rather than "eating what they have," they will consciously cook a variety of plants and fish in the same pot to create mixed dishes with distinctive regional characteristics, making the appearance of the "prehistoric kitchen" thousands of years ago gradually clear.
The study, carried out by an interdisciplinary team of scientists, analyzed 58 pottery fragments dating from 5,000 to 8,000 years ago (6,000 to 3,000 BC). These samples come from different ecological environments such as coasts, lagoons, riverbanks and lakesides, and all have a large amount of dark brown char residue on their surfaces, providing valuable clues for restoring prehistoric diets. The research team used techniques such as microscopic observation, lipid and isotope analysis to accurately identify the food residues attached to the pottery. To verify the interpretation results, they also copied the prehistoric pottery pots, cooked the experimental formula on an open fire, and compared the newly generated residues with prehistoric samples.
The analysis shows that these prehistoric communities commonly used wild grasses, legumes, fruits and berries, green leafy vegetables and native root crops. Among them, traces of wild leguminous plants (possibly clover), grass seeds, bran and barley were detected in pottery fragments from the Don River Basin in Russia, indicating that local residents had eaten a large amount of cereal crops; relics from the upper reaches of the Volva River and the Nieper River Basin were rich in viburnum berries and Seeds of Amaranthaceae plants; traces of freshwater fish lipids were evident on pottery fragments from the Baltic Sea region, and ingredients such as berries and sea beetroot were also found. Traces of dairy products were also detected at a site in Denmark, suggesting that local fishermen may have communicated with surrounding agricultural groups and introduced dairy products into their dishes.
Simulated cooking experiments further confirmed that the research team used viburnum berries and amaranth plants with freshwater fish and cooked them at different heat temperatures, and the residue produced was highly consistent with prehistoric samples.
Researchers found that different regions have fixed food combinations: "berries + freshwater fish" are common in the upper reaches of the Volga River and the Baltic Sea region, "fish + wild grasses + beans" are preferred in the Don River Basin, and "fish + green leafy vegetables" are mostly used in other regions, reflecting the unique eating style formed by ancestors based on local resources.
This study not only restored the complete picture of the diet of prehistoric fishermen in Eastern Europe,It also proves that they have long since abandoned their hungry existence and learned to actively mix ingredients and create flavorful dishes, which provides an important basis for studying the life wisdom and food culture of prehistoric humans.
