Stone Age chefs crafted surprisingly diverse meals long before farming

A new study has revealed that Stone Age cooks prepared meals with a wide mix of plants and animals, challenging the old belief that early hunter-gatherers relied only on meat. Researchers examined burnt food remains from pottery sherds to uncover diets spanning 5,000 to 8,000 years ago.

The study, published in PLOS ONE, analysed 85 pottery fragments from 13 sites across Europe. Using microscopic techniques, researchers identified plant traces in 58 of the sherds. These remnants showed that Stone Age people combined ingredients like viburnum berries—still used in some regional dishes today—with fish, game, and other wild foods.

Regional differences were clear. In Denmark, diets leaned heavily on seafood such as fish and seals. Further inland, hunter-gatherers focused on game and foraged plants. After the Neolithic period (around 4000 BCE), farming introduced dairy, grains, and domesticated meats. Over time, these traditions evolved into modern dishes like Danish smørrebrød, Swedish gravlax, and Russian pelmeni.

The study also debunked the myth of Stone Age diets being simple or meat-only. Instead, the evidence points to varied, carefully chosen ingredients and advanced cooking methods. Researchers described their approach as 'sophisticated' and far more complex than previously assumed.

The findings show that Stone Age Europeans had diverse, regionally distinct cuisines long before farming took hold. These early culinary traditions adapted through migrations, trade, and climate changes. Many ingredients and techniques from this era still appear in modern European cooking.