A new look at old bread: ancient Egyptian baking

Delwen Samuel

doi:10.5334/ai.3010

Abstract

Despite abundant archaeological, pictorial and textual evidence of ancient Egyptian life and death, we have little detailed information about the staple diet of most of the population. Now experimental work by a postdoctoral Wellcome Research Fellow in Bioarchaeology at the Institute is revealing how the ancient Egyptians made their daily bread.

Highlights

The most famous accomplish ment of the ancient Egyptians was probably pyramid build ing, an activity that required skill and imagination
Most research ers have drawn conclusions about ancient Egyptian bread from tomb art and a few examples of surviving bread loaves, but recent archaeological research has estab lished that ancient Egyptians could be as good at baking as they were at building
Ancient loaves Surviving loaves of bread provide the best evidence for ancient Egyptian baking (Fig. 1)

Summary

Introduction

The most famous accomplish ment of the ancient Egyptians was probably pyramid build ing, an activity that required skill and imagination. Ancient loaves Surviving loaves of bread provide the best evidence for ancient Egyptian baking (Fig. 1). Because emmer is so seldom cultivated today and is unfamiliar to many people , most of those who have studied ancient Egyptian bread have not appreciated how much i t differs from bread wheat, the cereal normally used for baking.

Results

Conclusion