Bread Fossilized by Volcanic Eruption...The Fermented Life of Ancient People Inside [Delicious Stories]

Bread Fossil Preserved for 2,000 Years in Pompeii Ruins
Bread Delivered Each Morning by Slaves for Breakfast
Bakery Owners Could Enter the World of Politics

Editor's NoteIt is said that the earliest sweets were discovered in the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Sweets, in a sense, have been present throughout every moment of human history. Biscuits, chocolate, ice cream, and more-we present the fascinating stories behind the snacks we love.

In 1930, at the ruins of Pompeii in Italy, archaeologists discovered a "bread fossil" that had maintained its perfect shape for about 2,000 years. This bread was instantly carbonized by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius on a morning in 79 AD, subjected to extreme heat of 400 degrees Celsius and buried under volcanic ash. The bread, found in Herculaneum, soon became known as "Herculaneum Bread." Inside this bread-possibly someone's breakfast-was the preserved story of Roman life spanning two millennia.

Bread Eaten Every Morning by Nobles...Stamped with a Seal

Herculaneum Bread from the Pompeii Ruins in Italy. A seal revealing the owner of the bread is stamped on the surface. Byzantine Ancient History Website

Herculaneum bread is round and disk-shaped, with a puffed top and eight neat knife marks dividing it, much like a pizza. It is believed that Romans enjoyed this bread for breakfast. They would tear the bread along the cut lines and eat it with spices, cheese, butter, fish, and other accompaniments.

Pompeii Herculaneum is thought to have functioned as a kind of "communal bakery." Ancient Romans ordered bread here and had slaves deliver the finished bread to them the next morning. At this time, a distinctive "seal" was stamped on the bread to prevent theft. The surface of the Herculaneum bread still bears a clear impression of this seal, which reads, "Property of Q. Granius Verus' slave, Celer."

The bread seal also served as a guarantee of quality. Since the slave's name was inscribed on the bread, if the taste changed or the dough was of poor quality, the relevant slave could be summoned and punished. Meanwhile, Celer, the slave who delivered the bread whose name is written on the seal, was also a survivor of the Mount Vesuvius eruption. Later, archaeologists found records of his name, and he was known to have left behind the life of a slave and gained the status of a free man.

The Color of Bread Differed Between Nobles and Slaves

Numerous bread fossils excavated from the Pompeii ruins. Reddit capture

By analyzing the ingredients of Herculaneum bread, scholars discovered that the strict class system of ancient Rome was evident even at breakfast. Several fossilized loaves similar to Herculaneum bread were found at the Pompeii ruins, but each contained different grains in the dough.

The bread consumed by nobles was all made from white flour-resulting in white bread. In contrast, there were dark, coarse loaves made from crushed wheat or barley, and it is presumed that these lower-quality breads were eaten by slaves.

Ancient People Leavened Bread with Natural Yeast and Grape Juice

Bread of Herculaneum recreated by an Italian chef. British Museum YouTube

Herculaneum bread is a leavened bread, that is, a sourdough. This means that even 2,000 years ago, ancient people ate leavened bread. But how did people without the modern concept of yeast create sourdough?

In 2020, the British Museum held a "Herculaneum Exhibition" in cooperation with Pompeii and solved this mystery. Together with renowned Italian chef Giorgio Locatelli, they succeeded in recreating Herculaneum bread without using yeast.

Locatelli used natural fermentation instead of yeast. This "natural yeast" is created by cultivating lactic acid bacteria found in flour, water, and grains over a long period. It is believed that they induced fermentation by collecting leftover flour and mixing it with new flour. Sometimes, grape juice was also used as a substitute for yeast.

Was the Bakery a Pathway to Power?

Terentius Neo couple, owners of the Herculaneum communal bakery. The husband, wearing a toga candida, appears to have harbored ambitions of entering Pompeii's political scene. Pompeii Archaeological Site Official Website

Who operated the Herculaneum bakery that fed the citizens of Pompeii? In the Herculaneum ruins, there is a preserved painting of a couple believed to be the bakery owners. They are known as Terentius Neo and his wife, depicted standing together facing the painter with solemn expressions. The husband, Terentius Neo, wears a white toga, and the wife holds what appears to be an account book made of black wax and a pen.

The couple is believed to have accumulated substantial wealth by running the bakery. The white toga worn by Terentius is called "toga candida," the garment worn by candidates running for public office. The whiteness of the toga candida symbolized integrity and morality.

Even in ancient times, running for political office required significant resources and connections. The couple likely won the favor of nobles-and made money-by baking excellent bread. However, whether Terentius was truly an honest man or a wise leader remains an eternally unanswered question.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.