Ancient pottery fragments reveal that prehistoric humans in Europe prepared gourmet foods thousands of years ago. The findings come from a new study published in the open-access journal PLOS One and led by archaeobotanist Lara González Carretero of the University of York in the United Kingdom.
Researchers say the evidence challenges the long-held view that early European hunter-gatherers mainly ate simple meals based on meat or fish. Instead, the study suggests that these communities combined a variety of plant and animal ingredients to create more elaborate dishes.
The research focused on organic residues preserved inside ancient pottery. These residues formed when food was cooked in ceramic vessels and left behind traces that survived for thousands of years.
Study examines pottery from multiple archaeological sites
The team analyzed remains preserved in 58 pottery fragments recovered from 13 archaeological sites across Northern and Eastern Europe. The pottery dates from the 6th to the 3rd millennium BC, a period when pottery technology became more widely used among hunter-gatherer groups.
Researchers examined the residues using a combination of microscopic and chemical techniques. This approach allowed them to identify tiny fragments of plant tissues trapped in the hardened food crusts left inside the vessels.
The analysis revealed evidence from a wide range of plants. Scientists identified remains of grasses, berries, leaves, and seeds. These plant materials suggest that prehistoric cooks regularly used plant ingredients when preparing meals.
Plant ingredients appeared alongside fish and seafood
Many pottery samples also contained traces of animal products. Fish and other aquatic foods were the most common animal ingredients detected in the vessels.
The presence of both plant and animal residues in the same pottery pieces suggests that prehistoric communities often prepared mixed dishes. Rather than relying on a single food source, people likely combined different ingredients while cooking.
6,000-year-old pots are revealing that prehistoric Europeans cooked surprisingly complex meals. Researchers found traces of grasses, berries, leaves, seeds, and fish in ancient pottery across Northern and Eastern Europe. pic.twitter.com/jNrsF9bGir
— Tom Marvolo Riddle (@tom_riddle2025) March 5, 2026
Researchers say the ingredients found in the pottery varied between regions. These differences likely reflect the natural resources available in each area as well as local culinary traditions.
The findings indicate that early communities adapted their cooking practices to their environment while also developing distinct food cultures.
Pottery technology enabled more complex cooking
Scientists have long studied fatty residues in ancient pottery to understand early diets. These fats can reveal the presence of animal foods such as meat, dairy, or fish. However, the method often fails to capture evidence of plants.
To overcome this limitation, the new study combined traditional chemical analysis with microscopic examination of plant tissues preserved in food crusts. This allowed researchers to detect plant ingredients that previous studies may have missed.
The results suggest that pottery was an important tool in prehistoric kitchens. Ceramic vessels allowed people to cook different ingredients together, making more complex meals possible.
Food crusts reveal forgotten prehistoric recipes
Researchers say examining the crusted residues inside pottery can provide valuable insights into ancient cooking practices.
“While conventional chemical analysis tends to highlight the animal-based components of ancient meals, our combined microscopic approach has brought these prehistoric recipes back into focus,” the authors said.
The study also shows that hunter-gatherer fishers were not relying on fish alone. “We found that hunter-gatherer fishers were not living on fish alone; they were actively processing and consuming a wide variety of plants,” the researchers explained.
According to the team, studying these ancient food crusts can reveal details about prehistoric meals that would otherwise remain hidden.
The findings offer a clearer picture of daily life thousands of years ago and suggest that early European communities prepared diverse dishes using both plant and animal ingredients—an early form of what could be described as prehistoric gourmet cooking.
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