Bronze Age Farmers Outperformed Modern Agriculture—Without Chemicals

Around 3,500 years ago, the Po Valley saw the rise of large, long-lasting settlements. Unlike earlier villages that lasted only a few generations, these Bronze Age communities thrived for centuries. A new research project, OnFoods in Prehistory, is now exploring how their farming methods could offer lessons for sustainable land use today.

The OnFoods in Prehistory project brings together experts from different fields to study Bronze Age diets and agriculture. Archaeobotanist Maria Letizia Carra analysed plant remains from ancient settlements, revealing a diet rich in cereals like barley, spelt, and emmer. These grains made up around 70% of their food, with legumes and wild fruits adding variety.

Experimental fields were cultivated under Bronze Age conditions to test their methods. Without modern fertilizers, the harvests surprised researchers—each portion of seed yielded twenty times more grain. Per hectare, this amounted to roughly 14 hundredweight, far exceeding earlier historical estimates. The key to their success was deliberate soil management. By rotating crops and avoiding overuse, these ancient civilizations kept their land fertile for centuries. Modern industrial farming, in contrast, often relies on chemical fertilizers that degrade soil over time, leaving it unusable for long stretches.

The findings highlight how Bronze Age farmers sustained their settlements through local, sustainable practices. Their approach produced high yields without harming the land, offering a stark contrast to all modern methods. Researchers now see potential in adapting these ancient techniques to improve soil health and food security today.