Nothing could have foreshadowed the discovery made by Michael Boyle, a farmer living in Donegal, Ireland. While digging on his Irish farm, he discovered a 22-kilo slab of bog butter! Over 5,000 years old, in excellent condition!
The butter was discovered on a farm in Portnoo… As the Irish farmer was digging in the earth, he came across a greasy, white block with a salty, cheesy smell.
Located at a depth of less than 30cm, the block was a perfect rectangular shape, proof of human intervention.
“It does taste like butter, an unsalted butter at that. I had a sliver and I’m still here to tell the tale."
25-kilogram trove of "bog butter," largest ever, discovered in backyard in #Ireland.https://t.co/Z1ekadWt1H pic.twitter.com/osaNPUyoSW
— ??? ???? ?????? ? (@lostsupper) September 28, 2024
For Michael Boyle, there was no doubt about it: he had just discovered a slab of bog butter. This is prehistoric butter, 5,000 years old, which was usually buried near peat bogs to help preserve them. This is not the first time this type of substance has been discovered in Ireland. The country is no stranger to such discoveries…
Many prehistoric men and women used to bury their butter in the ground, in peat bogs, to facilitate preservation. Some also buried this type of food for ritual and ceremonial purposes.
The Portnoo discovery is currently being analyzed by the National Museum of Ireland. Depending on their findings, it could subsequently be exhibited in Dublin, or at the Kilclooney Dolmen Centre, at Kilcooney Beg, Donegal.
For archaeologist Paula Harvey, this butter is a real treasure! First and foremost, because it’s one of the heaviest ever unearthed! Dating back over 5,000 years, it bears exceptional testimony to ancestral Irish practices.
For the researcher, peat bogs are perfect for preserving food: the acidic environment, and the absence of oxygen, made them the perfect environment for protecting food from the climate and from rotting. S
he would even have tasted this type of butter several times: for the archaeologist, peat bog butter would have a real buttery taste. Unsalted, slightly spicy… And it would have had no effect on her health or digestion!
And what about you? Would you be willing to taste a 5000-year-old food?
More news
