I’m showing you how to make a very simple Ancient Mesopotamia bread recipe to get an idea of the most basic fare they would have eaten in ancient times. Also, look at my page Ancient Mesopotamia Fun Facts For Kids Who Love History for more hands-on history ideas.
Too, look at Hands-on Ancient Mesopotamia: Easy STEM Irrigation Activity.
Bread was just one part of the diet enjoyed along the Tigris River in those very early days. Food in Ancient Mesopotamia was a rich and varied diet.
It consisted of grains and produce that grew along the Fertile Crescent, meat from livestock animals, legumes, herbs and spices.
Archaeologists originally thought that Mesopotamians ate gruel as their main diet.
However, a French archeologist deciphered an Akkadian cuneiform tablet in the 1980’s that contained a Sumerian-Akkadian dictionary.
Within was a “cookbook” listing the words for over 800 different food items, with 20 different cheeses, 100 kinds of soup and 300 different breads. A very full and exciting meal plan indeed.
The fertile crescent had an abundance of water and rich soil making it the perfect place for early crops to grow. The water was also a big attraction for animals, making it a great place to hunt as well.
Sadly, the modern day Fertile Crescent is not very fertile due to the fact that in the 1950’s irrigation systems were put in place that carried the water away from the Mesopotamian marshes and made them dry up.
Here you can find some great information and an Easy STEM Irrigation Activity to learn more about how they were able to move water to spread over all their crops to make it such a place of plenty.
Food In Ancient Mesopotamia
Grains
The main crops during this time were barley, wheat, and millet.
Grains were ground into cereal grains and used in various recipes or ground as flour for bread.
Breads were made both leavened and unleavened (made without leaven- yeast or baking powder) as part of their diet.
Grains could also be made into a drink for consumption and were the base of a very popular drink for Mesopotamians – beer.
A flatbread is a bread that is made with flour; water, milk, yogurt, or other liquid; and salt, and then it is rolled into flattened dough. This is what we will be making today.
Produce
The rich soil made legumes such as onions, onions, garlic, melons, eggplants, and lettuce.
Also, apples grapes, plums, figs, dates, pomegranates, pistachios, eggplants, apricots cucumbers, and herbs.
Spices grew plentifully and made for a varied diet.
There has been evidence uncovered that food was not just eaten for the energy it provided to their bodies, but recipes were created and documented to make it an enjoyable experience and included a lot of variety.
Meat
Their meat came from livestock raised along the banks like goats, pork, cattle and sheep. They also caught fish and hunted gazelles, ducks, deer, and other wild game.
Meat was braised over large open fires to seal in juices.
It would then be trimmed and cut into small pieces where it simmered in a pot on stove over a long period of time, like a modern-day crock pot does.
Meat was also roasted, grilled, boiled, and cooked over a spit.
Also, you’ll love some of these books to add to your reading day.
I lean toward living books then like to add reference books.
Books About Mesopotamia
7 Books to Read About Ancient Mesopotamia
Mesopotamia is a region situated within the Tigris–Euphrates River system, in the northern part of the Fertile Crescent. Today, Mesopotamia occupies modern Iraq. In the broader sense, the historical region included present-day Iraq and parts of present-day Iran, Kuwait, Syria, and Turkey.
Gilgamesh, half-god and half-man, in his loneliness and isolation becomes a cruel tyrant over the citizens of Uruk. To impress them forever he orders a great wall to be built, driving his people to exhaustion and despair so that they cry to the Sun God for help.
5,000 years ago in ancient Mesopotamia during a terrible drought, Jomar and Zefa's father must send his children away to the city of Ur because he can no longer feed them. At fourteen, Jomar is old enough to apprentice with Sidah, a master goldsmith for the temple of the moongod, but there is no place for Zefa in Sidah's household. Zefa, a talented but untrained musician, is forced to play her music and sing for alms on the streets of Ur.
Describes the enormous accomplishments of the Sumerians and Babylonians of ancient Mesopotamia in every scientific area, a heritage which affects our own everyday lives
Explores Sumerian, Babylonian, and Assyrian cultures, discussing social structure, lifestyles, and the military in these societies.
Lugalbanda woke with a jolt. He opened his eyes and what did he see but the terrible Anzu bird beating its wings in its nest high above. . . . Did he quake? Did he quail? No. Lugalbanda the Brave sat and stared, and into his head came a brilliant idea.
Presents the history of ancient Mesopotamia, describing the different groups of people who lived there, and their government, cities, everyday life, religion, and writing.
Invites readers them to become the main character. Each book uses humorous illustrations to depict the sometimes dark and horrific side of life during important eras in history.
Next, add these fun recipes.
Ancient Mesopotamia Recipes to Try
- Find out more about Ancient Mesopotamia (Hands-on History): and Cook Sebetu Rolls.
- Cook Like an Ancient Mesopotamian With the World’s Oldest Recipes – Mersu and Meat Broth.
- Try making Jacob’s Lentil Stew like the ancient Israelites would have eaten.
- While the recipe isn’t ancient, the cuneiform is, and creating edible archeology with these Gingerbread Cuneiform Tablets provides a fun and tasty activity to pair with learning.
Before you begin your bread recipe check out 2 Minute Time Machine- Bread for a quick interesting glance at ancient roots of bread and beyond.
You might also try a few other foods that would have been enjoyed at the same time as this bread recipe.
A taste test including olives, olive oil, figs, and other tasty bites would really enhance this lesson.
More Ancient Mesopotamia Hands-on Activities
- Hands-on Geography Mesopotamia: Fun Salt Dough Map
- Ancient Mesopotamia (Hands-on History): Cook Sebetu Rolls
- Hands-on Ancient Mesopotamia: Easy STEM Irrigation Activity
Ancient Mesopotamia Bread Recipe
Unleavened bread was a common food staple in Ancient Mesopotamia, and it was likely a very simple recipe of water and flour.
This bread is very dense and does not have much flavor, you can add additional salts, seasonings, spices, chopped fruits, or nuts such as figs or dates to give it more flavoring.
You will need:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour
- 1 cup water
- ¾ teaspoon of Salt
- Honey to taste-optional
First, combine the flour, water, salt, and honey to sweeten if desired until well mixed in a large bowl.
Knead the dough into one or two thin, flat patties.
Cover the bowl with a clean dish towel and allow the dough to sit overnight.
Lightly spray or use a silicone mat on a baking sheet to keep bread from sticking.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees f.
Flip dough out onto the prepared baking pan and shape the flat patty again as needed.
Bake for 30 minutes, remove from the oven and cool.
Try the bread as is or dip it in olive oil.
