World of the Bizarre

World's oldest pretzels found in Germany

By T.K. Randall
March 16, 2015 ·  13 comments

Pretzels have been a popular food for centuries. Image Credit: CC BY 3.0 Benreis The centuries-old baked snacks were uncovered during recent excavations in the city of Regensburg, Germany and were found alongside a selection of other food items including a piece of bread shaped like a croissant and three baked rolls that all appeared to have been discarded beneath the floorboards.

It is believed that the building belonged to a baker during the 18th century and that the items had been accidentally burned before being thrown away, a factor that aided in their preservation."As far I know these are the world's oldest pretzels," said Silvia Codreanu-Windauer of the Bavarian State Department of Monuments and Sites. "You know, we always find tons of ceramics, glass, metalworks or bones, but such glimpses of everyday life are extremely rare."

Pretzels were thought to have been invented some time in the 5th or 6th century by monks who twisted strips of dough together to look like arms crossed in prayer.

Source: Discovery News | Comments (13)

Tags: Pretzel, Bakery, Germany