Scientists investigate what food the Stonehenge builders ate

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After a day enduring midwinter winds whipping off Salisbury Plain, the ancient builders of Stonehenge may have warmed up with a prehistoric version of the mince pie, archaeologists have suggested.

The hardy engineers of the great Wiltshire monument might also have kept themselves going by nibbling on their version of energy bars made of berries, nuts and animal fat.

Archaeologists have found evidence of the collecting and cooking of hazelnuts, sloes and crab apples and other fruit, with remnants of charred plant remains discovered at Durrington Walls, the settlement inhabited by the builders of Stonehenge in about 2500BC.

English Heritage volunteers will be baking Neolithic mince pies around the hearth in the recreations of Neolithic houses at Stonehenge every Monday in December. The charity has also produced a recipe so that anyone can have a go at producing a Neolithic-style mince pie.

Spoiler

 

Ingredients:

For the pastry:
2 x handfuls of emmer flour
½ handful of hazelnut flour
Knob of lard
A few drops of water

For the filling:
Four crab apples or small sour apples
A few blackberries
A few sloes
Pureed rose hips (about a spoonful)
A spoonful of honey

Plus:
A handful of whole berries
A couple of crushed hazelnuts

For the decoration:
Some linseeds and a drizzle of honey for the tops

Method:
1. Preheat your oven to 210C electric /190C fan/gas mark 5. Cut up your compote filling ingredients and put them in a saucepan on a medium heat, stew until tender.

2. Mix the flours with the lard and a few drops of water until you have a firm dough.

3. Create six circles for the pie bottoms, and six slightly smaller circles for the tops. Place the bases into cases in a muffin tin and spoon in cooked compote.

4. Take lids and brush one side with water and place water-side down, pressing the edges to seal.

5. Once all of the lids are on, brush their tops with water and sprinkle with honey, linseeds and crushed hazelnuts.

6. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.

 

Source - https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/dec/01/stonehenge-builders-may-have-enjoyed-mince-pies

[TaylorSwift 162,286]

they ate this 

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20 hours ago, Teletubby said:

they ate this 

Why not this?

[TaylorSwift 162,286]

Just now, FfFfFfFF said:

Why not this?

it was in 2500BC and Chromatica oreos began to appear on sale from the end of December, 2020

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1 hour ago, Teletubby said:

it was in 2500BC and Chromatica oreos began to appear on sale from the end of December, 2020

They have the power to transcend time.

[Stupid Oreo 14,669]

1 hour ago, FfFfFfFF said:

Why not this?

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1 hour ago, FfFfFfFF said:

Why not this?

Gay wasn’t invented yet. 

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It is known that people at Stonehenge also ate food from the north of the British Isles (modern day Scotland). https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-41669774