Frederic Melton
The origins of cheese predate recorded history, with the earliest evidence of cheese-making being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) in Poland and Croatia, dating back over 7,000 years. There is no conclusive evidence of where cheese-making originated, but it is believed to have begun around 8,000 BCE when sheep were first domesticated. Milk from cows and other animals was likely used for cheese-making by 1000 BCE, and various types of milk, including cow, goat, and sheep milk, have been used throughout history to create the thousands of cheese varieties we know today.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Milk Type | Cow, sheep, goat, and buffalo milk |
| Container | Animal stomach, bladder, or skin |
| Coagulant | Rennet, an enzyme found in the stomachs of ruminants |
| Climate | Warm |
| Texture | Sour and salty, similar to rustic cottage cheese or feta |
| Salt Content | High, for preservation |
| Region | Middle East, Europe, Central Asia |
| Date | Around 8000 BCE |
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What You'll Learn
The origins of cheese are unknown
There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheese-making originated, with possible origins in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The earliest direct evidence of cheese-making has been found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) in Poland, Croatia, and Switzerland, dating back over 7,000 to 8,000 years. Additionally, archaeological evidence for cheese-making in Egypt goes back about 5,000 years, with the discovery of the oldest known Egyptian cheese dating back 3,200 years.
Ancient Greek mythology and an Arab legend attribute the discovery of cheese to different individuals, but these are not considered conclusive. According to Homer's Odyssey, the Cyclops produced and stored sheep's and goat's milk and cheese. Meanwhile, the Arab legend claims that an Arabian merchant accidentally made cheese while crossing the desert by storing milk in a pouch made from a sheep's stomach.
The production of cheese has evolved over time, with the first industrial cheese factory opening in Switzerland in 1815. Large-scale production, however, found greater success in the United States, with dairy farmer Jesse Williams implementing assembly-line cheese production in 1851. The mass production of cheese, along with the spread of European imperialism and Euro-American culture, has contributed to the worldwide popularity and diversity of cheese today.
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The first cheese was likely made by accident
The origins of cheese predate recorded history, with the earliest evidence of cheese-making being traced back to over 7,000 years ago. While there is no conclusive evidence of where cheese-making originated, it is believed that the practice emerged in regions like Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The first cheese was likely made by accident, and this accidental discovery may have occurred in several ways.
One popular theory suggests that ancient people transported milk in containers made from the stomachs or internal organs of animals such as sheep, goats, cows, and buffalo. These organs contain rennet, a crucial enzyme in cheese-making that causes milk to curdle and separate into curds and whey. During long journeys across hot deserts, the warmth of the sun, combined with the rennet in the container, would have naturally curdled the milk, resulting in the accidental creation of cheese. This theory is supported by archaeological evidence, including excavated clay sieves and shards of holed pottery found in Poland, Croatia, and Switzerland, which are believed to be ancient cheese-making tools.
An Arab legend also attributes the discovery of cheese to an Arabian merchant who, according to ancient texts, carried milk in a pouch made from a sheep's stomach. The natural rennet in the pouch, combined with the sun's heat, caused the milk to coagulate and separate into curds and whey. The merchant later consumed the curds, finding them delicious, and thus discovered cheese.
Additionally, in ancient times, milk was often stored in containers made from animal skins and inflated internal organs. It is probable that early cheese-making was discovered accidentally when milk was stored in these containers, as they would have contained traces of rennet, initiating the curdling process.
The accidental nature of the first cheese-making is further supported by the fact that cheese production predates recorded history, and early humans likely experimented with different methods of milk preservation, leading to the discovery of cheese-making without deliberate intent.
Over time, cheese-making spread across various regions, including Europe, the Middle East, India, Tibet, and areas influenced by these cultures. The practice was refined, and by the time of ancient Rome, cheese-making had become a sophisticated enterprise, with valued foreign cheeses being transported to satisfy the elite's tastes. Cheese-making continued to evolve, and by the Middle Ages, many of the cheeses we know today, such as cheddar, gouda, parmesan, and camembert, were first produced in Europe.
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Early cheeses were salty and sour
The origin of cheese and cheesemaking is unknown. However, it is believed that cheese was discovered accidentally. The earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking is being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old, for example in Kujawy, Poland, and the Dalmatian coast in Croatia. There are several theories about how cheese was accidentally discovered. One theory suggests that cheese was discovered through the practice of storing milk in containers made from the stomachs of animals. Rennet, an enzyme found in the stomachs of ruminant animals, would cause the milk to coagulate and separate into curds and whey. Another theory suggests that cheese was discovered through the practice of salting curdled milk for preservation purposes.
The word "cheese" comes from the Latin "caseus", from which the modern word "casein" is derived. The earliest source is from the proto-Indo-European root "kwat"-, which means "to ferment, become sour". That gave rise to "cīese" or "cēse" (in Old English) and "chese" (in Middle English). Similar words are shared by other West Germanic languages—West Frisian "tsiis", Dutch "kaas", German "Käse", and Old High German "chāsi".
Hard salted cheese is likely to have accompanied dairying from the outset. It is the only form in which milk can be kept in a hot climate. Dairying existed around 4,000 BC in the grasslands of the Sahara. Cheese produced in Europe, where climates are cooler than in the Middle East, required less salt for preservation. With less salt and acidity, the cheese became a suitable environment for useful microbes and molds, giving aged cheeses their pronounced and interesting flavors. The earliest written evidence of cheese is in the Sumerian cuneiform texts of the Third Dynasty of Ur, dated at the early second millennium BC. The earliest cheeses were sour and salty and similar in texture to rustic cottage cheese or present-day feta. In Late Bronze Age Minoan-Mycenaean Crete, Linear B tablets recorded the inventorying of cheese, flocks, and shepherds.
Ancient Greek mythology credited Aristaeus with the discovery of cheese. Homer's Odyssey (late 8th century BC) describes the Cyclops producing and storing sheep's and goat's milk and cheese. A letter of Epicurus to his patron requests a wheel of hard cheese so that he may make a feast whenever he wishes. Pliny recorded the Roman tradition that Zoroaster had lived on cheese. By Roman times, cheese-making was a common practice and food group. Columella's De Re Rustica (c. 65 CE) details a cheese-making process involving rennet coagulation, pressing of the curd, salting, and aging.
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Cheese was first made around 8000 BCE
Cheese is an ancient food, with the earliest proposed dates for its origin placed around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated. The production of cheese predates recorded history and likely began by accident. One ancient legend attributes the discovery of cheese to an Arabian merchant who stored milk in a pouch made from a sheep's stomach during his journey across the desert. The natural rennin in the pouch, combined with the heat from the sun, caused the milk to separate into curds and whey. The curds, or cheese, had a delightful flavour, and the whey satisfied his thirst.
There is no conclusive evidence of where cheesemaking originated, but it was likely in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking has been found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old, in Poland, Croatia, and Switzerland. These shards of holed pottery are hypothesized to be cheese strainers and are around eight thousand years old.
Cheese was also made in ancient Egypt, with archaeological evidence of Egyptian cheesemaking dating back around 5,000 years. The oldest known cheese from Egypt was discovered in the Saqqara necropolis and is around 3,200 years old. Earlier remains identified as cheese were found in an Egyptian tomb dating to around 2900 BCE. Visual evidence of Egyptian cheesemaking was found in tomb murals from approximately 2000 BCE.
Cheese was also known in ancient Rome, with valued foreign cheeses being transported to Rome to satisfy the tastes of the social elite. In ancient Greek mythology, Aristaeus is credited with the discovery of cheese, and Homer's Odyssey (late 8th century BCE) describes the Cyclops producing and storing sheep's and goat's milk and cheese. The earliest written evidence of cheese is in the Sumerian cuneiform texts of the Third Dynasty of Ur, dated to the early second millennium BCE.
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Sheep, goats, cows, and buffalo milk were used
The production of cheese is believed to have begun over 7,000 years ago, predating recorded history. There is no conclusive evidence of where cheesemaking originated, but it is thought to have begun in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The earliest direct evidence of cheesemaking has been found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) in Poland and Croatia, which are over 7,000 years old.
Ancient Greek mythology credited Aristaeus with the discovery of cheese, and an Arab legend attributes its discovery to a trader who stored milk in a pouch made from a sheep's stomach. The natural rennet in the pouch, combined with heat, caused the milk to coagulate and separate into curds and whey. The curds, or primitive forms of cheese, had a delightful flavor and could be stored.
Cheese was also widely consumed in ancient Rome, and visual evidence of cheesemaking has been found in Egyptian tombs dating back to around 2900 BC. By the time of the Roman Empire, cheese-making had spread to England, and cheese became a sophisticated enterprise. The first cheese factory for industrial production opened in Switzerland in 1815, but large-scale production was revolutionized in the United States by dairy farmer Jesse Williams, who began making cheese using an assembly-line process in 1851.
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Frequently asked questions
It is unclear what type of milk was used to make the first cheese, but it was likely sheep's, goat's, cow's or buffalo's milk.
The first cheese was likely made by accident. Milk was stored in a container made from the stomach of an animal, which turned the milk into curds and whey.
There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheese-making originated, but it could have been in Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara.
