The Oldest Known Recipes Date Back 3,700 Years
Discover the oldest known recipes from ancient Babylon—3,700-year-old culinary instructions that reveal the roots of modern cooking.
The Oldest Recipes Ever Written: A 3,700-Year Culinary Legacy
Before cookbooks and celebrity chefs, long before measuring spoons or stovetops, there were clay tablets. Nearly four millennia ago, in what is now southern Iraq, ancient Babylonians were documenting how to make hearty broths, savory pies, and flavorful stews. These inscriptions, carved into tablets around 1730 B.C., are the oldest known recipes in human history.
And surprisingly, they’re not so different from the comfort foods we enjoy today.
Rediscovering Forgotten Flavors: Recipes from Ancient Babylon
Although cooking has been an essential part of human life for tens of thousands of years, it wasn’t always written down. Most early food traditions were passed down orally—taught from generation to generation, particularly among women. This made written recipes a rare treasure, and for a long time, historians didn’t believe they existed in ancient Mesopotamia.
That changed in the early 20th century when Yale University acquired four cuneiform tablets from the region. For decades, scholars couldn’t quite decipher their contents. Were they magical formulas? Medical treatments? It wasn’t until 1945 that scholar Mary Hussey suggested these could be recipes. Her theory was initially dismissed—until archaeologist Jean Bottéro confirmed it in the 1980s.
Still, Bottéro wasn’t impressed. He found the recipes difficult to interpret and declared them nearly inedible. But recent efforts have given them a second life.
Recreating the World’s First Written Recipes
Dr. Gojko Barjamovic, an Assyriologist at Harvard, helped lead an interdisciplinary team that revisited these mysterious tablets. With linguists, culinary historians, and chefs working side by side, they pieced together the faded instructions.
Despite damage to the clay and the disappearance of some ingredients over time, the team succeeded in reconstructing several dishes. The tablets included recipes for broths, stews, and even a pie filled with songbird meat. Some dishes used ingredients that remain staples in Middle Eastern cuisine today—like lamb, cilantro, onion, garlic, and barley.
One of the more readable recipes included this instruction: “Meat is used. You prepare water. You add fine-grained salt, dried barley cakes, onion, Persian shallot, and milk. You crush and add leek and garlic.” Although vague by modern standards, the recipe reflects a thoughtful layering of flavors that would be recognizable to any home cook today.
Ancient Ingredients with a Modern Twist
Not all ingredients were familiar—or appealing—to contemporary tastes. Some recipes called for blood, rodents, or obscure herbs. Others listed ingredients that no longer exist or whose ancient names can’t be translated. This ambiguity made the process of recreation a culinary detective story.
Still, the essence of the food—warming stews, layered seasonings, and thoughtful combinations of texture—echoes modern sensibilities. According to the research team, these recipes are the earliest known written instructions for cooking and serve as a time capsule of Babylonian life.
Why Ancient Recipes Matter Today
Studying these ancient tablets isn’t just about intellectual curiosity—it’s a way to connect with our shared humanity. As Farrell Monaco, a researcher specializing in ancient Roman breads, explains, culinary traditions serve as cultural markers. They bridge generations, continents, and social roles.
“Food making is one of these sort of silent technologies,” Barjamovic told Live Science. Because cooking was often passed down orally, especially by women, it remained largely invisible in the archaeological record.
But once uncovered, these recipes offer a vivid portrait of daily life in ancient Mesopotamia. They reflect a community’s resourcefulness, taste preferences, and social customs. In a world without measuring cups or exact cooking times, food was still prepared with intention and creativity.
From Clay Tablets to Cookbooks
Today, our food culture is overflowing with instruction—YouTube tutorials, TikTok hacks, and step-by-step guides fill the digital universe. But in 1730 B.C., preserving a recipe in writing was rare, perhaps even revolutionary.
These Babylonian tablets don’t just offer a glimpse into the past—they remind us that the art of cooking has always been about more than just feeding ourselves. It’s a shared language of survival, memory, and connection.
Conclusion: Tracing the Roots of Modern Cooking
The Babylonian tablets stand as culinary fossils—testaments to human ingenuity long before modern conveniences existed. They show us that while the tools and techniques may have evolved, the heart of cooking remains unchanged. Food is, and always has been, a powerful thread linking us to our ancestors.
By studying and reviving these ancient recipes, we’re not just learning about history—we’re tasting it.
Disclaimer:
This article is for educational and informational purposes only. While the content is based on archaeological findings and expert commentary, interpretations of ancient recipes may vary and should not be considered precise reconstructions.