Scientists Recreate 5,000-Year-Old Bread! There's One Place on Earth Where You Can Try It

In the heart of Anatolia, at the archaeological site of Küllüoba, a 5,000-year-old charred loaf of bread was discovered. Today, thanks to the cooperation of archaeologists and bakers, the ancient bread is returning to the tables.

Archaeologists and bakers in Turkey have pulled off an extraordinary feat: they have worked together to recreate a 5,000-year-old bread , a charred loaf of which was discovered in 2024 at the archaeological site of Küllüoba .

The project not only brings back to life a fragment of the culinary past, but also becomes an impulse for conversation about the future of agriculture – in particular the importance of ancient, drought-resistant grain varieties .

Preparing the Bake - Sample Photo/ Unsplash, Sonia Nadales

During excavations at Küllüoba , a settlement dating to around 3300 BC, archaeologists found a nearly intact, ash-burned loaf of bread measuring 12 cm in diameter.

Finds of this type are rare. Usually, archaeologists only manage to find crumbs of food.

After consulting with the research team, Eskişehir Mayor Ayşe Ünlüce proposed recreating the ancient pastry . Analyses showed that the bread was made from emmer wheat flour , lentil seeds , and an unidentified fermenting plant .

Since emmer wheat has not been cultivated in Turkey for centuries, Kavilca wheat was used, an ancient variety related to emmer. Combining it with bulgur and lentils allowed for a similar consistency and nutritional value.

The Halk Ekmek bakery in Eskişehir – a city-owned bakery offering affordable bread – has started producing 300 loaves of "Küllüoba" daily. Each weighs 300 grams and costs 50 Turkish liras (about 6 złoty).

The re-creation of bread is also part of a broader project related to the future of agriculture. The Eskişehir region, once rich in water, is now struggling with droughts.

Kavilca wheat, which is resistant to drought and disease, could play a key role in the transformation of agriculture . The city plans to support local farmers who undertake its cultivation.