Archaeologists have uncovered what is believed to be the world’s oldest known cheese, dating back 3,600 years, during the excavation of a Bronze Age cemetery in northwestern China. The discovery was made in 2003 when the well-preserved coffin of a young woman was unearthed at the Xiaohe Cemetery in the Tarim Basin desert, located in what is now Xinjiang. The cheese, initially mistaken for a decorative item, was draped around the woman’s neck like jewelry. Researchers now believe it provides significant insights into the dietary practices of ancient civilizations.
The cheese, found in a dried, dense, and powdery state, survived the centuries thanks to the arid climate of the desert. Fu Qiaomei, a paleogeneticist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and co-author of a study published in Cell, explained that the DNA analysis of the cheese offers a unique glimpse into the lives of the Xiaohe people. The analysis also sheds light on the mammals they raised and the evolution of animal husbandry in East Asia.
Cheese-making, a practice recorded in ancient history, has been traced back thousands of years. Murals from ancient Egyptian tombs, dating as far back as 2000 BC, depict cheese-making processes, and evidence from Europe suggests that the practice was in place 7,000 years ago. However, the samples found at the Tarim Basin cemetery represent the oldest physical cheese ever discovered.
During the excavation, researchers collected samples from three tombs, including the cheese that was found on the young woman. DNA analysis revealed that the cheese was kefir cheese, a type made by fermenting milk with kefir grains. The samples indicated that both goat and cow milk were used in its production.
Interestingly, despite being genetically lactose intolerant, the Xiaohe people were able to consume dairy products like cheese. Fu and her team suggested that the process of cheese production, which significantly reduces lactose levels, allowed these ancient people to include dairy in their diet even before the advent of modern pasteurization and refrigeration methods.
The discovery highlights the importance of cheese in the daily lives and burial practices of the Xiaohe people, further underscoring its role as a staple food long before recorded history. The cheese’s exceptional preservation has provided researchers with invaluable clues about ancient food processing techniques and the early development of agriculture and animal husbandry in the region.
