Reclaiming the Rotten: Understanding Food Fermentation in the Neolithic and Beyond

People have harnessed beneficial microbes to preserve, protect, and improve food for thousands of years. However, the significance and techniques of food fermentation are poorly understood in prehistoric archaeology. This paper explains what food fermentation is and discusses its relevance in an early farming context. It sets out the beginnings of a theoretical and material framework that can be drawn upon for further study of this crucial but overlooked aspect of prehistoric food cultures. Focus is on the British Neolithic, but the central concepts are applicable in other periods and places.

Automated summary

Food fermentation is a method that has been used for thousands of years to preserve, protect, and improve food using beneficial microbes. However, the importance and techniques of food fermentation are not well understood in prehistoric archaeology. This paper provides an explanation of what food fermentation is and discusses its relevance in an early farming context. It establishes a theoretical and material framework as a starting point for further research on this crucial but overlooked aspect of prehistoric food cultures. While the focus is primarily on the British Neolithic, the central concepts are applicable to other periods and places as well.