Frederic Melton
Cheese is an ancient food, with the earliest proposed dates for its origin ranging from around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated. The production of cheese predates recorded history, beginning well over 7,000 years ago. There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, but it was possibly Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | Around 8000 BCE |
| Origin | Unknown, possibly Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara |
| Discovery | Likely accidental, as a result of storing and transporting milk in bladders made of ruminants' stomachs |
| Ingredients | Milk, rennet |
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What You'll Learn
The first cheese was likely made accidentally
There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, but it could have been Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking is now being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old, for example in Kujawy, Poland, and the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, the latter with dried remains which chemical analysis suggests was cheese.
According to an ancient legend, the first cheese was made accidentally by an Arabian merchant who put his supply of milk into a pouch made from a sheep's stomach as he set out on a day's journey across the desert. The rennet in the lining of the pouch, combined with the heat of the sun, caused the milk to separate into curd and whey. That night, he found that the whey satisfied his thirst, and the cheese (curd) had a delightful flavour which satisfied his hunger.
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It was made by an Arabian merchant
It is thought that cheese was first made around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated. The enzyme rennet, which is used to make cheese, is naturally present in the stomachs of ruminants. The leak-proof stomachs and other bladder-like organs of animals were often used to store and transport milk and other liquids. Without refrigeration, the warm summer heat in combination with residual rennet in the stomach lining would have naturally curdled the milk to produce the earliest forms of cheese.
According to an ancient legend, the first cheese was made accidentally by an Arabian merchant. The merchant put his supply of milk into a pouch made from a sheep's stomach as he set out on a day's journey across the desert. The rennet in the lining of the pouch, combined with the heat of the sun, caused the milk to separate into curd and whey. That night, he found that the whey satisfied his thirst, and the cheese (curd) had a delightful flavour which satisfied his hunger.
There is no conclusive evidence indicating where cheesemaking originated, but it could have been Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara. The earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking is now being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old, for example in Kujawy, Poland, and the Dalmatian coast in Croatia.
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It was made from a pouch made from a sheep's stomach
It is thought that the first cheese was made around 8000 BC, when sheep were first domesticated. According to an ancient legend, the first cheese was made accidentally by an Arabian merchant who put his supply of milk into a pouch made from a sheep's stomach. The rennet in the lining of the pouch, combined with the heat of the sun, caused the milk to separate into curd and whey. That night, the merchant found that the whey satisfied his thirst, and the cheese (curd) had a delightful flavour which satisfied his hunger.
The leak-proof stomachs and other bladder-like organs of ruminants were often put to use to store and transport milk and other liquids. Without refrigeration, the warm summer heat in combination with residual rennet in the stomach lining would have naturally curdled the milk to produce the earliest forms of cheese. These milk curds were strained, and salt was added for extra preservation, giving birth to what we now know as "cheese".
The earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking is now being found in excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old, for example in Kujawy, Poland, and the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, the latter with dried remains which chemical analysis suggests was cheese.
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The earliest evidence of cheese-making is from excavated clay sieves
The origins of cheese predate recorded history, with the earliest evidence of cheese-making coming from excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) that are over seven thousand years old. These sieves were discovered in Kujawy, Poland, and on the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, with dried remains that chemical analysis suggests was cheese.
The production of cheese likely began by accident, as a result of storing and transporting milk in bladders made from ruminants' stomachs. The inherent supply of rennet in these bladders would encourage curdling, and the warm summer heat would have naturally curdled the milk to produce the earliest forms of cheese.
According to an ancient legend, cheese was first made by an Arabian merchant who put his supply of milk into a pouch made from a sheep's stomach as he set out on a day's journey across the desert. The rennet in the lining of the pouch, combined with the heat of the sun, caused the milk to separate into curd and whey. That night, he found that the whey satisfied his thirst, and the cheese (curd) had a delightful flavour that satisfied his hunger.
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. The earliest proposed dates for the origin of cheese-making range from around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated, and by the time of Julius Caesar (46-44 BCE), there were hundreds of types of cheeses in the Roman Empire and beyond.
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Cheese-making likely originated in the Middle East
Cheese-making is an ancient practice that predates recorded history. While there is no conclusive evidence of where cheesemaking originated, it is thought that it likely began in the Middle East.
According to ancient records, the making of cheese dates back more than 4,000 years, and possibly as far back as 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated. The enzyme rennet, which is used to make cheese, is naturally present in the stomachs of ruminants. As such, it is probable that the process of cheese-making was discovered accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal. The warmth of the sun, combined with the rennet in the stomach lining, would have caused the milk to curdle and separate into curds and whey.
There is also evidence to suggest that cheese-making may have originated in Europe, Central Asia, or the Sahara. Excavated clay sieves (holed pottery) over seven thousand years old, found in Kujawy, Poland, and the Dalmatian coast in Croatia, provide some of the earliest direct evidence for cheesemaking. These sieves contained dried remains which chemical analysis suggests were cheese.
However, the fact that cheese-making techniques had already spread to Europe by the time of Julius Caesar (46-44 BCE), with hundreds of types of cheeses in the Roman Empire, supports the idea that the practice may have originated in the Middle East. Additionally, an ancient legend claims that cheese was first made accidentally by an Arabian merchant who stored milk in a pouch made from a sheep's stomach during a journey across the desert.
Overall, while the exact origins of cheese-making remain unknown, the available evidence suggests that it likely originated in the Middle East thousands of years ago.
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Frequently asked questions
Cheese was first made around 8000 BCE, when sheep were first domesticated.
Cheese was likely made accidentally by storing milk in a container made from the stomach of an animal, which turned the milk into curd and whey.
There is no conclusive evidence, but it was possibly Europe, Central Asia, the Middle East, or the Sahara.
