A group of archeological researchers made a pretty interesting discovery while excavating a site in Egypt’s Giza Governorate. They managed to find clay pots filled with very ancient cheese.
Back in September of 2022, archeologists digging in Saqqara made the startling discovery, estimating that the cheese they'd found was several thousands of years old!
According to Egypt Today, the site is home to artifacts and other findings from several different eras in ancient Egyptian history.
Temples from the Sixth Pharaonic Dynasty are present on the site. Statues of animals and 10-foot-long papyri scrolls have been found in the area previously.
Archeologists have been excavating the site since 2018. Among significant discoveries includes a cache filled with over 100 sarcophagi.
The dig from September resulted in several findings, including clay pots with Demotic script. Though not all had been opened at the time of the report, the ones that had been opened contained cheese.
Found alongside hieroglyphics and ancient Greek, Demotic script is present on the Rosetta Stone, an important artifact and translation tool.
The cheese itself was covered in mold but was still identifiable as Halloumi, a cheese that still exists today.
The cheese is of Cypriot origins and is popular throughout countries along the Mediterranean. Nowadays, it is commonly made of cow's milk.
It is somewhat similar to mozzarella in terms of texture but has a much higher melting point.
Halloumi is commonly used as a meat substitute because of its versatility. It can be eaten raw, but can also be grilled and placed in burgers or sandwiches.
Mid-16th century Italian visitors to Cyprus reportedly wrote about this cheese. The Halloumi found in Saqqara, meanwhile, is much older than this.
The cheese found in the vessels is estimated to have been made around 664-525 BCE.
In 2018, researchers found cheese in Saqqara that dates back to 3200 years ago! It's currently the oldest cheese found in ancient Egypt.
Researchers were definitely brave to try a cheese that was thousands of years old!
