Microbiological Significance of Fermented Beverages: Reconstructing the Health and Nutrition of Ancient Agriculturalists

Summary

This is an abstract from the "SAA 2019: General Sessions" session, at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Approximately 60 percent of all our antibiotics come from streptomycetes, a filamentous soil bacterium. Over 30 years ago, the first evidence of deliberate antibiotic use was among Sudanese Nubian agriculturalists through the consumption of beer that contained tetracycline. The range of archaeological research since the Nubian findings show the profound role of fermented grains in ancient agricultural subsistence patterns. The production of fermented beverages is a near-universal practice in both ancient and modern cultures. Brewed beverages are valuable sources of calories, B-vitamins, and proteins. In Ethiopia, a honey wine, T’ej, has been consumed for centuries and is among the oldest fermented brews still consumed by modern populations. T’ej fermentation relies on the microorganisms present in the fermentation containers but is unique in requiring the addition of gesho (Rhamnus prinoides). Furthermore, T’ej contains both alpha-amylase and beta-amylase enzymes - yeasts produce the latter while bacteria tend to produce the former. This study provides a biocultural perspective by reviewing the archaeological and historical evidence of consuming fermented beverages throughout the world. The implications for understanding the role that consuming fermented beverages played in health, social life and, socioeconomic relations remain fundamental to understanding paleonutrition in ancient societies.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 84th Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, NM (2019)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 24836