Archaeology & History

2,000-year-old 'bog butter' is still edible

By T.K. Randall
June 17, 2016

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) The unappetizing discovery was made back at the beginning of June in Emlagh Bog, County Meath by Jack Conway while he was extracting some of the peat to use as fuel.

Known as 'bog butter', the rugby-ball shaped mass of dairy produce was in remarkable condition considering that it had been buried at the bottom of a swamp for over 2,000 years.

10kgs of 2,000-year-old butter found in a bog in Ireland to go on display https://t.co/IqMCLv71jt pic.twitter.com/yknMTnLK9t

— BBC Science News (@BBCScienceNews) June 15, 2016

In ancient and early medieval Ireland butter was considered to be something of a luxury and peat bogs were used as a way to store it thanks to their low temperatures and oxygen content.

In this particular case however the butter hadn't been buried inside a container or keg which suggests that it may have actually been intended as some sort of offering to the gods.

According to Andy Halpin of the National Museum of Ireland the bog butter may even still be edible, but given its extreme age it is probably not a good idea to try eating any of it.

Source: Fox News

Tags: Bog Butter, Ireland