4 ms·

how can food last for 5k years? doesn't it decompose during such a long period?

by nunodonato 4y ago

indy 4y ago
The article didn't imply that the food was still edible.
- nunodonato 4y ago
  I wasn't implying that either. But how can you recognize organic food after 5k years? In my compost bin it lasts only a few weeks :)
  - ceejayoz 4y ago
    Composting is a process specifically intended to break down organics. A closed tavern in the desert isn't likely to have the same conditions, and I'd imagine the remnants of the fish are largely bones and scales of the sort you wouldn't put in home compost.
  - myth_drannon 4y ago
    You can't compost food in the desert, it's to dry.
    - deleted 4y ago
      [deleted]
RugnirViking 4y ago
they mentioned they found the "remains" of fish, presumably liquefied along with possibly some bones
lm28469 4y ago
Depends on the conditions, see mummies for examples. Don't expect fresh looking food though, it probably amounts to super dry rock looking objects
- Thlom 4y ago
  Reminds me of this article[0] about a guy that revitalized 4500 years old Egyptian yeast and baked bread using old grains. [0] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bread-was-made-using-4500-year-old-egyptian-yeast-180972842/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bread-was-made-usi...
  - srcreigh 4y ago
    The guy, Seamus Blackley, a game programmer who proposed the original Xbox, no less. Also made Trespasser (1998) realistic open world 3D game with physics engine [1] [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSDa4VZbJzI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSDa4VZbJzI
penguinvondoom 4y ago
bones, seeds etc. can fossilize
- AlotOfReading 4y ago
  They can, but usually not on the relatively short timescales we use in archaeology. It's not what happened here, for example.
fartsucker69 4y ago
maybe they found it in a sumerian freezer
thrill 4y ago
5000 year old fish would probably be excellent fish sauce by now
bluedino 4y ago
You've never found McDonalds of unknown age under the seat of your car?

how can food last for 5k years? doesn't it decompose during such a long period?

indy 4y ago

The article didn't imply that the food was still edible.

nunodonato 4y ago
I wasn't implying that either. But how can you recognize organic food after 5k years? In my compost bin it lasts only a few weeks :)
- ceejayoz 4y ago
  Composting is a process specifically intended to break down organics. A closed tavern in the desert isn't likely to have the same conditions, and I'd imagine the remnants of the fish are largely bones and scales of the sort you wouldn't put in home compost.
- myth_drannon 4y ago
  You can't compost food in the desert, it's to dry.
  - deleted 4y ago
    [deleted]

RugnirViking 4y ago

they mentioned they found the "remains" of fish, presumably liquefied along with possibly some bones

lm28469 4y ago

Depends on the conditions, see mummies for examples. Don't expect fresh looking food though, it probably amounts to super dry rock looking objects

Thlom 4y ago
Reminds me of this article[0] about a guy that revitalized 4500 years old Egyptian yeast and baked bread using old grains. [0] https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bread-was-made-using-4500-year-old-egyptian-yeast-180972842/ https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/bread-was-made-usi...
- srcreigh 4y ago
  The guy, Seamus Blackley, a game programmer who proposed the original Xbox, no less. Also made Trespasser (1998) realistic open world 3D game with physics engine [1] [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSDa4VZbJzI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSDa4VZbJzI

penguinvondoom 4y ago

bones, seeds etc. can fossilize

AlotOfReading 4y ago
They can, but usually not on the relatively short timescales we use in archaeology. It's not what happened here, for example.

fartsucker69 4y ago

maybe they found it in a sumerian freezer

thrill 4y ago

5000 year old fish would probably be excellent fish sauce by now

bluedino 4y ago

You've never found McDonalds of unknown age under the seat of your car?