Discover the Ancient DNA Secrets Behind Rome’s Iconic Fish Sauce Recipe

Ancient Romans had a flair for flavors, especially with sauces like garum, a well-known fish-based condiment. Recent studies on ancient DNA from a Roman salting plant in Spain reveal that European sardines were the main ingredient in this famous sauce.

Fish played a crucial role in the Roman diet. They preserved their catch in coastal fish-salting factories known as cetariae. Here, they crushed and fermented small fish into pastes and sauces, creating that iconic umami flavor we still enjoy in modern sauces like Worcestershire and various fish sauces from Southeast Asia.

Researching the fish used in Roman sauces offers a peek into the past. It helps us understand their diets, culture, and even the fishing populations of that time. However, identifying species from remains is tricky due to the intense processing that fish went through at these salting plants.

To tackle this challenge, a group of international researchers turned to DNA analysis. Typically, grinding and fermentation break down genetic material, making it hard to extract usable DNA. But they successfully sequenced DNA from fish remains found in a salting vat at Adro Vello, a Roman site in Spain. This breakthrough sheds light on the sardines of the Roman era and paves the way for future studies of archaeological fish remains.

The researchers noted, “The bottoms of fish-salting vats offer a myriad of remains, yet one of the biggest challenges is the small size of the bone material.” They emphasize that genomic studies can unlock valuable insights into past fish consumption and the dynamics of important fish species.

By analyzing the small bones from the sardines, researchers could compare ancient DNA sequences with those of today’s sardines from the same area. Interestingly, they found that the ancient and modern sardines were genetically similar. This is particularly significant because sardines are known for their ability to spread across various regions.

Co-author Paula Campos, an expert in ancient DNA, explains, “Despite the challenging conditions, usable DNA can be recovered from fish residues at these salting sites.” This research opens up new ways to explore the diets and cultures of our ancestors and provides data on historical fish populations that modern catch data cannot offer.

Ultimately, this study reveals a new method of accessing overlooked archaeological treasures. It also makes one thing clear: in ancient Rome, fish were not just friends; they were a vital food source.

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