Ancient noodle rewrites history

dr. what · Post by **dr. what** » 2005-10-12 02:53pm

linky of the noodles

WHO invented the noodle is a hotly contested topic - with the Chinese, Italians and Arabs all staking a claim.

But the discovery of a pot of thin yellow noodles preserved for 4000 years in Yellow river silt may have tipped the bowl in China's favour. It suggests that people were eating noodles at least 1000 years earlier than previously thought, and many centuries before such dishes were documented in Europe.

"These are undoubtedly the oldest noodles ever found," says Houyuan Lu at China's Institute of Geology and Geophysics in Beijing. His team found the noodles buried 3 metres deep in flood-plain sediment at Lajia in north-eastern China after lifting out an upturned bowl. The "spaghetti-like" noodles, up to 50 centimetres long, sat atop a mound of silt which had sealed them in the bowl following a major earthquake and flood.

Lu's team report in Nature (vol 437, p 967) that the noodles came from two species of millet grass grown in north-eastern China at that time. They identified the species by examining starch grains in the noodles and phytoliths, silica particles formed in seed husks while plants are alive but which survive as fossils.

They believe the noodles were made by pulling dough into long strands before boiling.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2005-10-12 03:52pm

Noodles are quite simple, isn't it possible that they were independently invented several times?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-10-12 05:00pm

Quite possible. As common organs in mammals evolved indepently, so to do cultural aspects of life such as technology or techniques.

Frank Hipper · Post by **Frank Hipper** » 2005-10-12 05:44pm

Sir Sirius wrote:Noodles are quite simple, isn't it possible that they were independently invented several times?

More than possible; probable, I'd say.

Find a culture that was producing a fine ground flour, and I'd be very surprised if a noodle of some sort isn't far behind the introduction of that flour.

Drooling Iguana · Post by **Drooling Iguana** » 2005-10-12 08:25pm

So, how did they taste?

wolveraptor · Post by **wolveraptor** » 2005-10-12 08:33pm

Since when did Italians seriously stake the claim that they first invented the noodle? Ancient Italian food was mostly roast boar and such.

Post by **Darth Wong** » 2005-10-12 08:46pm

Sir Sirius wrote:Noodles are quite simple, isn't it possible that they were independently invented several times?

Entirely possible, but that wouldn't change the fact that somebody was probably first.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2005-10-20 03:52am

I am eating noodles for lunch today

Personal favorite was the shrimp & chili flavor I recently tried, meat flavors like beef also are good but I add extra chili and paprika to those unless already flavored such.

Yeah... sorry for the OT.

His Divine Shadow · Post by **His Divine Shadow** » 2005-10-20 03:53am

wolveraptor wrote:Since when did Italians seriously stake the claim that they first invented the noodle? Ancient Italian food was mostly roast boar and such.

Mmm, roast boar, that sounds delicious.

drachefly · Post by **drachefly** » 2005-10-20 01:53pm

Bah, all Pastafarians know that the noodle antedated the Earth itself! Who else could have made that midget but the FSM? These researchers though are clearly touched by his noodly appendage.