Archaeologists have identified Babylonian clay tablets dating back to 1730 BC as containing some of the world's oldest known recipes. The tablets, initially thought to be medicinal or alchemic formulas, were discovered in the early 1900s and are now housed at Yale University.
The recipes, inscribed in cuneiform, offer a glimpse into the culinary practices of ancient Mesopotamia. Mary Hussey first suggested their culinary nature in 1945, though her interpretation was initially met with skepticism. The tablets originated from what is now southern Iraq.
These ancient recipes differ significantly from modern cookbooks, lacking precise measurements and weights. Identifying ancient recipes poses challenges due to untranslatable words and extinct ingredients. The discovery provides valuable insights into the food culture and daily life of one of the earliest civilizations.