It is early 1990s, when rescue excavations for opening work of the railway in Pieria They bring to light a mystery of thousands of years, in the heart of the Neolithic settlement of Makrigialos. It is a huge “pit”, about a diameter of about 30 meters and a depth of one to one and a half, containing a “carpet” of finds, consisting of at least 130,000 shellfish shells, bones from more than 600 animals, food preparation tools (millstones and clay oven), serving utensils ornately decorated with anthropomorphic and animal figures, as well as personal belongings and jewelry, made of a particular type of shell (“donkey”), valuable to the time of the time.
This particular pit dates between 5450 and 5250 BC and its use remains a mystery, Although we could imagine A big tweezers, with dozens or even hundreds of participants taking place and his remains ending up with him, as Dr. Rena Veropoulidou, archaeologist-archaeologist at the Ephorate of Antiquities of Thessaloniki, says in RES-EIA, which recently presented at an event at the Olympus Festival of Labor and Nancy Krachtopoulou (Dr. Archaeologist-Geohaeologist of the Ephorate of Antiquities of Karditsa) and Alexandra Livarda (archaeologist-archaeologist at the Catalan Institute for Classical Archeology in Spain), on “What did they eat in ancient Pieria? Long -term traditions and innovations. “
Successive excavations in “Lakko”, in which It was found unprecedented -for the archaeological data of Neolithic Greece- The number of findings related to eating food was made by archaeologists Manthos Bessios and Maria Pappas. How and why did all these objects end up there? Was Lakkos a dump of the modern Neolithic era? We asked Act Veropoulidou. “The Neolithic settlement of Makrigialos is surrounded by two very large ditches, with hundreds of meters long and two to four depths, which were actually used as landfills. Although we could assume that this pit was also a dump, there are elements that probably differentiate it. For example, among the findings, which were there probably in a few months, There is minimal soil, as opposed to what is usually the case in a dump. In addition, the shells, the bones of the animals, were as if they were thrown yesterday, with the joints in the bones intact in many cases. They did not look like the classic rubbish, which you fly into a dump and worn exposed to the weather, ”he says.
So what could happen? “We can imagine a gathering of dozens of or even hundreds of people who cooked, ate, probably drank, and then what was left over and threw it there. We can imagine a big tweezers, probably a celebration for a very good crop or a wedding, after all, the serving utensils were not only “everyday”, but many were elaborately decorated, “the archaeologist-archaeologist adds, and adds that there are” workers. As for the pouring of the jewelry pit that was made of “precious” shells and other personal belongings, it is not excluded that it was ritual -so the whole subject of its use remains a intractable mystery.
The great importance of perishable food and the pioneer of Pieria
If this pit is a mystery, many aspects of the diet in ancient Pieria, from about 6500 BC to 354 BC, they also remain unknown. They remain unknown because the food is perishable. “Unlike typical archaeological finds, such as clay utensils or stone tools, foods are not preserved in the soil, except in special conditions. Foods that do not leave trash, such as greens, vegetables, Roots or bulbs are not maintained, except in rare cases in aquatic or very dry environments. Most of the time what is preserved is what we do not eat, such as animal and fish bones and shellfish shells. Cooking accidents and fires that burned warehouses with the crop leave behind burnt herbal residues, such as cereals and legume seeds or fruit pits, which are maintained precisely because they have been burned, ”explains Dr. Veropoulidou.
He adds that precisely because the process of identifying any smaller food residues (eg, burned seeds or fish bones) requires a lot of specialization, much time and higher costs, does not systematically take place in excavations, resulting in a “terribly large and significant amount of information on the past. Why a statue gives information about the art of the time, while food for people themselves. In Pieria, however, the Ephorate of Antiquities gave early emphasis on the study of all aspects of people’s lives, including nutritional practices. The collection of all diet -related findings has always been organized. As early as the 1990s, Pieria pioneered by forming A large network of partnerships between the archaeologists of the Ephorate, Greek and foreign universities and research centers, which gave and continues to provide a wealth of dietary data in antiquity. “
So what did the Pierians eat in the Neolithic era?
Already in 6500 BC, Dr. Veropoulidou points out, evidence shows that arable land and pastures are used on a small scale and intensively. Residents mainly take advantage of single -grain wheat, naked and dressed barley and double wheat, as shown by the studies of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Tania Valamoti, Georgia Kotzamani and Alexandra Livarda. In Revenas and Paliambela, considered one of the oldest villages in all of Greece, Residents show a preference for single -grain wheat, which although it gives a smaller crop, is resistant to dry climates and barren soil. Probably that was the reason they preferred it. Other researchers argue that this preference is related to the places of origin of the first farmers (Anatolia and the fertile crescent) or may be a way to declare their different identity.
In addition, there is elements for cultivating various legumes, such as lentils, robi (bitter vico) and stunning, while wild fruits have been found, such as shampoo, figs, apples and pears, raspberries, helmets, wildbinth, grapes, grapes. Although the basis of the diet was the plants, the animal contribution was quite significant, as studies by Paul Halstee, Valasia Isaakidou and Anastasia Vassiliadou have shown. The main “package” of pets included sheep and goats, pigs and cattle, while The contribution of hunting to the diet was minimal. Most often they hunted roe deer, plateau, red deer, foxes, hares, wild boars, and wild cattle, and rarely turtles, hedgehogs, badgers and bears.
The ancient bourlodes, consumed until World War II and were probably collected with sustainability practices
In relation to marine resources, in the early years of the Neolithic era, it is systematically recording the exploitation of coastal areas and lagoon for the collection of shellfish. Even though there was A wide variety of seafood, the inhabitants of Pieria preferred, almost exclusively, A particular species, today called “Bourlchith”, which was probably abundant in lagoons and easy to harvest. “Northern Pieria and Makrigialos are still famous for their mussels, but in the Neolithic era people have consumed bourlodes. Indeed, from 10-15 interviews by Danai Theodorakis in the context of a postgraduate degree from locals, it was revealed that the bourgeoisie were consumed up to World War II and that for some it was a valuable dietary supplement during the Occupation. People once found them in abundance at the mouth of the rivers. Today, on the one hand, they have fallen because of water pollution and on the other they are not preferred because they are found in muddy waters and are therefore considered “dirty” seafood. “
In Methoni, where a large amount of bourlithra shells were found, “the large average size of the shells shows that people collected them with rakes or hands, in order not to disturb the balance of the natural populations. If one thinks that the systematic exploitation of shellfish has a history of about 5500 years in the area, it would not be unlikely that collectors had shaped some ways of “semi-cultivation” of the bourliths, such as the seasonal collection of shells or their large-scale collection of large-scale, Archaeologist-Zohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
Were they consuming fish? ‘The data for fish consumption These periods are minimal, According to Dimitra Mylonas. In Makrigialos, however, we know that the inhabitants were fishing small and medium -sized fish from the shallow, such as murmurs, beetles, blacks, lithrinas, as well as marians/sardines and sea bass. It has been suggested that cereals and legumes were the basis of diet, while the meat of – mainly – animals were consumed more occasionally, a proposal confirmed by both the study and the analyzes The chemical composition of the human bones found in Makrigialos by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Sevi Triantafyllou. The animals were slaughtered and then chopped into large portions to bake in ovens and pits. This is evident from the traces/signs of stone tools (eg, treadmills, chickpeas) on the bones of the animals. Large portions of meat indicate consumption from large groups of people, and not just one household. That is, it seems that the consumption of meat should have been done in special occasions, perhaps some celebrations, where various groups of one community or members of more communities were gathered, “says Dr. Veropoulidou.
Viability in the Neolithic era and inspiration for today
In general, notes Dr. Veropoulidou, People of the time had a very close relationship with nature and the environment. They had knowledge that was transferred “from grandparents to grandfather”. They seemed to know that if they collect excessive amounts of fruit or shellfish, they could not get the same crop next year. They combined agriculture with livestock farming, transporting animal manure to their fields to lubricate them. They did seasonal crops and probably left areas on a set. As early as the Neolithic era, they have respected nature and its contribution. Unlike the modern era, humans were following viable practices of cultivation of fields, animal farming and exploitation of marine resources, which allowed the continued habitation and development of northern Pieria for nearly 8000 years, ”he adds.
How could all this be utilized The legacy for Pieria’s gastronomic and tourist promotion today? “Shellfish is something that accompanies Pieria’s tradition for centuries, the cultivation of mussels characterizes the area and today celebrations such as Mydochara are being organized. The further south you go down you find mussels. Shellfish is part of the Thermaic Gulf profile in general and Pieria in particular, and this area could use it. Also, make use of the continuity that exists. If we exclude species such as tomatoes and potatoes, We came 200-300 years ago and the new cookware and spices, which bring new recipes, nutrition and cultivation in the area have changed little over 6000 years ago, ”he concludes.
Dr. Veropoulidou gave the photos to RES-EIA