Bad news, pineapple pizza haters—a plaque recently discovered at the Pompeii archaeological site indicates that the first precursors of pizza were likely topped with the fruit.
The newly uncovered mural is believed to be 2,000 years old and was discovered by researchers in Pompeii archaeological site. In it, a round, baked dish can be seen sitting next to a wine glass and a series of fruits and flowers, all arrayed on a silver platter. While the disk of dough appears to have a crust and a handful of toppings, the features we recognize today as distinctly pizza-like, experts say chefs back then lacked the right ingredients to make a truly authentic modern pizza.
A statement released on Tuesday by the Pompeii Archaeological Park press office He said the painting likely represented focaccia bread Covered with fruits such as pomegranate and dates, topped with spices and types of pesto or other condiments.
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It’s probably not pizza that was invented later
Given that two essential ingredients for making pizza as we know it, tomatoes and mozzarella, were not available in Rome at the time, the researchers believe that the image instead to Mensa Flatbread doubles As food and dish in Roman times. Tomatoes didn’t reach Europe from the Americas until the 16th century, and although the first mention of mozzarella appears in an Italian cookbook as early as 1570, it wasn’t until the 18th century that Italians began using the ingredients to make what is now called pizza. century, when it was invented in Naples and even served to the king and queen.
Pizza “has now conquered the world”
The non-pizza plate was found in the hallway of a house connected to a bakery, where the prospectors were also able to note what appeared to be ovens. Skeletal remains of three people were also found in the building, which was first partially excavated in the 19th century before excavations resumed in January this year.
The researchers also noted juxtapositions in the image of a meal often considered appropriate for the lower class served on fine silver dinnerware, an inconsistency comparable to our own perception of pizza today.
“When considering this, how can we not think of pizza, which was also born as a ‘poor’ dish in southern Italy that has now conquered the world and is served in Michelin-starred restaurants,” said Gabriele Zuchtriegl, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Site. .
Archaeologists have more to explore in Pompeii
While this discovery was made in Regio IX, one of the nine districts into which the city was divided, archaeologists have plans to continue investigating the still largely unexplored city. Pompeii was buried in ash after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79, which froze the city and its inhabitants in time, providing researchers with a rare opportunity to study the details of ancient Roman life.
The preserved remains of the city and its people were rediscovered for the first time in 16y a century ago, but only about two-thirds of it has been excavated and studied since then. With so much left unexplored, there are likely to be more exciting discoveries, related to pizza or not, waiting for those who seek it out.
More from Pompeii:Researchers say the latest bodies found in the ruins of Pompeii show that not all deaths were caused by Vesuvius.
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