Of course, barbecue is often talked about very happily, especially when we are hungry, when we smell roasted meat and while this tasty and fragrant speciality is on the table. These conversations almost inevitably include boasting about mastery of who prepares the meat and in what way, as well as persuasions that the region in the country, and in the world in general, has a long tradition of cooking.
It will be that when it comes to food, people have too high an opinion of themselves because we consider all popular culinary specialities to be inventions of the modern age. Everyone always gave themselves an advantage, although there was no information on where and when the custom of preparing grilled meat originated. It was only admitted that the barbecue was domesticated in the Balkans a long time ago, but that it was allegedly of German origin and that it originated from the word "Roscht", which means skewer.
But, some ten years ago, scientists came to the first reliable evidence that reveals that grilling is not an invention of modern times, but an ancient way of preparing food. Our ancestors certainly enjoyed the tastes of roasted meat and it was probably the basic ingredient of their daily diet.
Namely, archaeologists discovered the remains of a potential barbecue, probably for a larger number of people, in a site on the border between the Czech Republic and Austria, as much as 29,000 years ago. The scientists were not aware that in front of them was a low lattice hearth made of clay, which had large bones cruciformly inserted, which served as support for smaller pieces of meat until they completely cleared the place.
With the help of paleoanthropologists, it was determined that beautifully arranged, fire-scorched bones of a female mammoth, parts of the bones of the body of a bear, a horse, a polar fox, a reindeer and one cub of a mammoth lay across the hearth. The age of the bones also determined the age of the grilling custom, and something that could look like a water hose was found nearby, which seemed almost impossible at the time.
It is true that, unlike today's culinary masters, our ancestor did not separate the bacon and make kebabs, burgers and sausages, let alone grind meat. The portions he prepared were huge, but he made sure that the choice of meat was varied. According to scientists, that detail is not unimportant.
They believe that this diversity could be an indicator that not everyone started grilling, but that it was a mastery ruled by individuals. Today, scientists are almost certain that such a place was used exclusively for roasting meat intended for human consumption, thanks to advanced systems and operations for archaeological research.
I'm glad to see you back here again! Mmmmm that food on the grill looks delicious. I want some! :D And the fire in the pictures looks cool! Thanks for sharing the photos. :)
Balkans know how to do it!