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This health-promoting diet was already in practice 4,000 years ago
What’s the story
A recent study has found that ancient Syrians practiced the now popular Mediterranean diet, known for its health benefits, as early as 4,000 years ago.
The research was led by Benjamin Fuller, an archaeological chemist at the University of Leuven.
Using a technique called stable isotope ratio analysis, Fuller’s team analyzed food groups consumed by the ancient inhabitants of Tell Tweini in Syria.
“The old saying ‘you are what you eat’ really applies here,” Fuller says.
Tweeni’s feeding habits discovered by isotope analysis
Fuller and his team analyzed archaeological isotope measurements from the settlement history of Tell Tweini, an important port for the Ugaritic kingdom during the Bronze and Iron Ages.
The dataset included isotope measurements of 410 plant seeds, 16 human bones, and 210 animal bones.
The study found relatively low levels of nitrogen-15 isotopes in human remains, suggesting occasional meat consumption.
This suggests that the inhabitants relied primarily on their domesticated animals for labor, milk, and wool rather than meat.
The diet of the ancient Syrians reflects modern Mediterranean eating habits
Between 2000 and 1600 BCE, the diet of the inhabitants of Tell Tweeni consisted largely of fruits, whole grains, and vegetables, including an abundance of olives and grapes.
“The human diet contained relatively little animal protein and appears comparable to what is today considered a typical Mediterranean diet,” Fuller’s team said in their paper.
They also emphasized that the ratio of meat to fruit, vegetables and grains still appears to be the healthiest option today.
Agricultural practices and seafood consumption
The researchers found high levels of carbon-13 isotopes in preserved seeds, indicating that crops at Tell Tweini were well cared for throughout the site’s history.
The use of animal manure could explain the high concentrations of nitrogen-15 isotopes in the plants.
Despite being less than two kilometres from the coast, Middle Bronze Age inhabitants did not consume much seafood or food from other waterways, suggesting that they produced sufficient food from their crops.
Olive oil production: an important economic activity in Tell Tweeni
Fuller’s team explains: “Excavations at the site indicate that olive oil production became an important economic activity of Tell Tweini and that installations related to this activity could be found in every house during the Iron Age.”
Despite the collapse of Ugarit around 1200 BCE due to crop failures, famine and social unrest, signs of Tell Tweini’s oil production reemerged shortly afterwards without signs of stress in plant isotopes.
During this period, the residents were able to cope well with the increasing drought.
The longevity of the Mediterranean diet and future research directions
The findings underscore that a Mediterranean-style diet has sustained humanity for millennia.
However, the species also grew in a fertile environment with a relatively stable climate.
The researchers concluded by suggesting further research into whether less favorable environmental conditions or a lack of adaptive strategies among the inhabitants played a role in the demise of Ugarit compared to Tell Tweini.
The research was published in PLOS ONE.
