A remarkable archaeological find in northwestern China has unveiled what researchers believe to be the oldest known cheese, discovered draped around the neck of a young woman in a Bronze Age coffin. The 3,600-year-old coffin was unearthed during the excavation of the Xiaohe Cemetery in 2003, where the arid climate of the Tarim Basin desert preserved not only the coffin but also the woman’s boots, hat, and the intriguing substance that turned out to be cheese.
"Unlike regular cheese, which is soft, this sample has dried out, becoming dense, hard, and powdery," explained Fu Qiaomei, a paleogeneticist at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing and co-author of a study published in Cell. Through DNA analysis, Fu and her team have gained insights into the lifestyle of the Xiaohe people, who inhabited the region now known as Xinjiang, as well as the animals they domesticated and the evolution of animal husbandry in East Asia.
The cheese, identified as kefir, was likely significant in their daily lives, as ancient burial customs often included meaningful items alongside the deceased. This finding suggests that dairy products played an important role in their culture.
Cheese-making has a long history, with evidence dating back thousands of years. Murals in ancient Egyptian tombs from around 2000 BC and European cheese production evidence from 7,000 years ago highlight this tradition. However, the cheese from the Tarim Basin is currently recognized as the oldest physical example known to date, as reported by NDTV.
Fu's team collected samples from three tombs and conducted DNA analysis to trace the evolution of bacteria involved in cheese-making over millennia. The research revealed that the kefir cheese was produced from both goat and cow milk.
Interestingly, the Xiaohe people were genetically lactose intolerant, yet they consumed dairy products prior to the development of pasteurization and refrigeration. The cheese-making process significantly reduces lactose levels, enabling them to incorporate dairy into their diet. This discovery provides a fascinating glimpse into the dietary practices of ancient cultures and the adaptability of human nutrition.