Before the wheel or farming, humanity had already mastered bread
In short: We often view bread as a staple of settled civilization, but its origins predate even the invention of the wheel. For over 14,000 years, this simple alchemy of grain, water, and fire has served as a primary vehicle for human evolution, innovation, and survival.
Bread's history spans approximately 14,000 years, beginning in the Neolithic period. The earliest iterations were likely rudimentary flatbreads made from coarsely crushed grains mixed with water. These primitive doughs were not baked in ovens as we know them today; instead, they were laid upon heated stones and covered with hot ashes to cook. The transition from these dense cakes to the airy loaves familiar to modern palates was a major technological leap.
The Egyptians are credited with discovering fermentation—the process of allowing wheat dough to produce gases, which creates a light, expanded texture. This era also saw the development of dedicated baking ovens, moving bread production from open-air stones to controlled environments. The evolution of bread is also a story of global geography and botanical diversity.
While wheat and rye are common for raised loaves due to their gluten content, many cultures developed distinct traditions using grains like corn, barley, millet, and buckwheat. These include the tortillas of Latin America, the injera of Ethiopia and Eritrea, and various crisp cakes like naan or roti in India. In the modern era, bread became a marvel of industrial engineering. On July 7, 1928, Otto Frederick Rohwedder introduced the first automatic bread-slicing machine in Chillicothe, Missouri. Despite initial consumer hesitation over the 'disheveled' look of pre-sliced loaves, the convenience was so overwhelming that by 1929, production hit full capacity, leading to a national rollout under the Wonder Bread label within just one year.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: History of Bread
- Also: Bread | Definition, History, Types, & Methods of Preparation | Britannica
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