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Ancient Chinese Mummies Discovered In Cheesy Afterlife

Posted by samzenpus on from the everything's-better-with-cheese dept.

astroengine writes "The world's oldest cheese has been found on the necks and chests of perfectly preserved mummies buried in China's desert sand. Dating back as early as 1615 B.C., the lumps of yellowish organic material have provided direct evidence for the oldest known dairy fermentation method. The individuals were likely buried with the cheese so they could savor it in the afterlife. Although cheese-making is known from sites in northern Europe as early as the 6th millennium B.C. and was common in Egypt and Mesopotamia in 3rd millennium B.C., until now no remains of ancient cheeses had been found."

3 of 64 comments (clear)

  1. rennet by ruir · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Just a quick note, rennet was/is not made of one enzyme in the intestine of bovines, but of one in the stomach. The article got it wrong. It is rather interesting they were using kefir for cheese making...ovo-lacto vegetarian cheese lol

    1. Re:rennet by LordLucless · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Not if they're using animal rennet to set the curd. Modern cheeses often don't, but it was the standard method in traditional cheesemaking.

      --
      Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean there isn't an invisible demon about to eat your face
  2. Get the cheese to sick bay! by bickerdyke · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Get the cheese to sick bay!

    I know I'm showing my age, but that was one of the most popular memes back on Fido-Net... Anyone else remembers that?

    --
    bickerdyke