How pottery changed the way we eat

Currently reading a book about the cultural histoy of cheese, and one thing made me think a bit more about. 

A few weeks ago I already posted an article about the way of storaging and stocking food in the time of Ancient Rome, but that was rather ablit trading and my never ceasing interest in early forms of globalization. 

But let's just go even further back in time, a few thousand years, back to around 6000-7000 BC and see what significant changes in human histoy brought the developement of pottery. 

A cooking revolution 

Before pottery,  people usuall roasted meat over open flames or used heated stones. Obviously,  cooking options were quite limited. But with the arrival of clay pots that could withstand fire, entirely new cooking methods emerged. 

Boiling  and stewing became possible. Suddenly, tough grains and fibrous plants could be softened, and meats could be cooked slowly to release more nutrient, which made food easier to digest and more nourishing.

Furthermore pottery widened the options what was considered edible. Grains like wheat and barley, for example, could be turned into soft, digestible porridges, making them reliable staples rather than occasional foods.

The real game changer

Pottery changed cooking forever, but it had an even more profound impact in storage. 

Clay vessels allowed people to store surplus food safely for extended periods. Grains, dried meats, and liquids could be protected from pests, moisture, and contamination. This reduced the risk of famine and helped communities survive seasonal shortages.

For the first time in the history of human kind it became possible to make further plans what to ear and how to prepare it. It helped to organize everyday life. 

Here, on my nice little cultural history of food blog I write frequently about things and customs we take them granted in our 21st century life, but were different in earlier time periods. 

But this seems to be the ultimate unfathomable moment for our modern mindset. 

Just think about it. With  this new,  better organized everyday life, communities could grow larger and settle more permanently, supported by reliable food supplies. 

Surpluses encouraged trade, specialization, and increasing social complexity.

What  doesn't seem like a revolutionary tool for the firs glance, it changed how people cooked, what they could eat, how long food lasted, and how communities organized themselves.



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