A Turkish bakery has begun producing bread using a recipe that dates back 5,000 years. This initiative was sparked by the discovery of ancient bread remnants at an archaeological site. Researchers confirmed it as the oldest known leavened and baked bread unearthed during excavations.
Last year, archaeologists in Turkey found a piece of bread that has maintained its shape remarkably well, indicating its significance. Murat Türkteki, the lead archaeologist at the Küllüoba site located 35 km from Eskisehir, noted that such a well-preserved bread is rare; typically, only crumbs survive due to decay. However, the bread was carbonized and buried, preserving it.
Dubbed Küllüoba bread, the round, flat loaf measured 12 cm in diameter and was found in September 2024. It had been burned and interred beneath the threshold of a Bronze Age dwelling dating back to around 3,300 BCE. A piece of it had been taken prior to its entombment, potentially suggesting a ritual related to abundance.
Analyses revealed that the bread was made from a drought-resistant wheat, drawing interest from contemporary producers as the region currently faces prolonged drought. The carbonized bread is now displayed at the Archaeological Museum in Eskisehir. The local mayor inquired if specialists could replicate the ancient recipe. In an effort to approximate the original method, the city’s experts opted to use Kavilca wheat, bulgur, and lentils.
In a municipal bakery that sells affordable bread, workers have been hand-shaping 300 loaves of Küllüoba bread daily over the past week. Serap Güler, manager of Halk Ekmek in Eskisehir, described the combination of wheat flour, lentils, and bulgur as producing a rich, nutritious bread that is low in gluten and free from preservatives.
The first batches of Küllüoba bread, sold as 300-gram flatbreads for 50 Turkish lira (approximately €1.12), sold out within hours, indicating a strong local interest in this historical revival.
