Description
The Talbot Green Lecture will be held in York.
Lipid residue analysis of Neolithic ceramics confirms that dairy was a staple food resource from the very onset of farming. However, the genetic evidence presents a puzzle: these early farmers were almost certainly lactose intolerant. To avoid the gastrointestinal distress caused by fresh milk, these populations likely relied on processing techniques, such as fermentation and cheesemaking, to reduce the lactose content of milk. Through a live experiment with "Neolithic" cheese making using replica technology, this lecture explores recent biomolecular and archaeological research into dairy foodstuffs in the Neolithic. Beyond the practical questions of how milk was processed, we will discuss the technical and social implications of eating dairy foods, raising larger questions about the role of consumption during the Neolithic.
Image description: Vinegar cheese with pottery and fire, photograph by Flo Brooks