The Funnel Beaker Culture (4000–2800 BCE) represents a significant milestone in European prehistory. It marks the transition from a hunter-gatherer way of life to one centered around agriculture and animal husbandry in Southern Scandinavia and Northern Germany. While the basic aspects of this transformation—such as the domestication of wheat and barley—are well understood, much less has been known about what early farmers actually ate beyond grains.
A recent study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports by researchers from the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) 1266 in Kiel sheds new light on the diet of these early European farmers. By analyzing microfossils preserved on grinding stones from a Neolithic settlement, the study provides direct evidence of food processing techniques and suggests that early farmers consumed a much broader variety of plants than previously assumed. The findings also reveal interesting regional differences in how cereals were prepared—some communities may have made early forms of flatbread, while others preferred gruel or porridge.
Oldenburg LA 77: A Window into Early Neolithic Life
The study focuses on plant remains recovered from Oldenburg LA 77, a Middle Neolithic (3270–2920 BCE) settlement located on a sandy island in a former wetland area on the southwestern coast of the Baltic Sea. This site is part of a broader network of settlements that developed in Northern Germany during the Neolithic, reflecting the shift from isolated farmsteads to larger, more structured village communities.
Excavations at Oldenburg LA 77 have uncovered the remains of numerous houses, a well, pottery, flint tools, and grinding stones—all of which provide valuable insights into daily life. The grinding stones, in particular, serve as archival records of ancient diets, as they preserve tiny plant microfossils, including starch grains and phytoliths, which offer clues about the foods processed on them.
According to Dr. Jingping An, lead researcher of the study, even small fragments of grinding stones can contain an abundance of these microfossils, making them a crucial tool for understanding ancient plant-based diets.
Astonishing Diversity: Beyond Cereals to Wild Plants and Tubers
The analysis of the grinding stones from Oldenburg LA 77 reveals that the people of the Funnel Beaker Culture relied on a diverse array of plant foods. While they cultivated traditional grains such as wheat and barley, they also processed a variety of wild plants, including:
- Fruits from wild grasses and knotweeds
- Acorns, which were likely leached to remove bitterness before consumption
- Starch-rich tubers, possibly gathered from wetland environments
- A small number of wild legume seeds
The discovery of these wild plants is particularly significant. Previous archaeobotanical studies have documented charred remains of wild plants in soil samples from Neolithic villages, but this new research confirms their direct use in food preparation.
According to Prof. Wiebke Kirleis, head of the study, these findings suggest that early farmers enriched their diets with a variety of wild foods, rather than relying solely on cultivated crops. This aligns with another recent study at the Frydenlund site in Denmark (ca. 3600 BCE), where grinding stones contained only wild plant microfossils, further proving that wild plants played a vital role in Neolithic diets.
Flatbread or Gruel? The Culinary Preferences of Early Farmers
One of the most intriguing findings from the study at Oldenburg LA 77 is the evidence of different methods of cereal preparation. By analyzing the grinding stones, along with chemical residues on pottery and a “baking plate”, researchers found strong indications that cereal grains were ground into flour and possibly baked into flatbread.
This discovery contrasts with findings from Frydenlund, where there was no evidence of cereal grinding. Instead, carbonized cereal remains from soil samples suggest that cereals were more likely consumed as gruel or porridge in that region.
The difference in food preparation methods hints at regional variations in dietary preferences among early farmers. While both communities consumed wild plants alongside cereals, their methods of processing and consuming grain appear to have diverged.
Complex and Diverse Food Culture Among the First Farmers
The new findings challenge earlier assumptions that Neolithic diets were simple and uniform. Instead, they reveal a rich, complex food culture, in which early farmers carefully selected and prepared a variety of plant-based ingredients.
Prof. Kirleis notes that although Funnel Beaker communities shared an interest in wild plant consumption, their approaches to preparing cereals differed. This suggests that food preparation techniques were not only practical but may have also carried cultural or regional significance.
Dr. An adds that this complexity is reflected in the archaeological record. The combination of grinding stones, food residue analysis on pottery, and charred plant remains all point to a sophisticated food culture that varied between different Neolithic settlements.
Conclusion
The study of plant remains from Oldenburg LA 77 offers unprecedented insights into the diet of Europe’s earliest farmers. The findings confirm that the Funnel Beaker Culture did not rely solely on cultivated grains but incorporated a diverse range of wild plants into their meals.
Moreover, the differences in cereal preparation between Oldenburg and Frydenlund highlight regional culinary traditions, suggesting that Neolithic food culture was far more varied than previously thought. Some groups favored baking early forms of flatbread, while others preferred cooking cereals into porridge or gruel.
These discoveries paint a more dynamic and nuanced picture of life in Neolithic Northern Europe, demonstrating that food choices were shaped by both environmental factors and cultural traditions. As further studies uncover more about early farming societies, it becomes increasingly clear that the first agriculturalists were not only resourceful survivors but also skilled in crafting diverse and sophisticated diets.
More information: Jingping An et al, Functional exploration of grinding and polishing stones from the Neolithic settlement site of Oldenburg LA77, Northern Germany − evidence from plant microfossil analysis, Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports (2024). DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2024.104913