Food in History by Reay Tannahill (file under books one must read if serious about food)

Reay Tannahill has an interesting approach to the subject of food as it relates to history. She goes back to the beginning of time and examines the relationship between food and people.

Some of the interesting points that she caused me (a true student of history) to examine include;

The genetic difference between men and women that made men better hunters while women were better gatherers. It appears that men have a natural ability to judge distance and to accurately throw something at a target where as women have a keener sense of hearing and can see better in the dark. She posits that there is a genetic difference that caused this development.

She points to evidence that seems to suggest that Neanderthal humans knew that animal protein tasted better when the kill was not anticipated by the animal. This is something we know to be absolutely true today as if an animal senses its impending demise it releases a furious mix of chemicals that affect the meat.

Tannahill also points out that everything we know about survival today is in fact based on ancient knowledge that has always been with us. In fact she claims that it goes back to our earliest development and further that the science of the 19th and 20th centuries has helped identify some of these ancient principles. Moreover that these principles were frustrated only by a lack of the technology that enabled them (much as was the case with Leonardo Da Vinci with Helicopters and Submarines).

She points out that the bow and arrow was just as important to the development of mankind as gunpowder was and gives the most understandable reason for it. Prior to the bow and arrow mankind hunted with spears or harpoons. Each of these weapons took time to make and required a sure shot lest the weapon be lost. However with the advent of the bow and arrow, hunters were free to carry more weapons (multiple arrows) and the construction of the arrow was not as time consuming and thus allowed the hunter to take shots that in the past he may not have taken.

Tannahill shows the two theories of the development of fire (Africa circa 1,400,000 BC or Asia circa 500,000 BC). Prior to the intentional use of fire all protein was eaten raw and could have negative effects on the human body. But once fire developed and could be used as a tool by mankind it was not long before shells and the like were being used as pots as were the stomach of kills used as a vessel with which to cook. Cooking increases the release of protein and carbohydrates and helps to break down fibre. Once harnessed the flame enabled mankind to grow stronger, faster and live longer due to the increase in health benefit of no longer eating meat raw.

One of the things that I started to ask myself related to the advent of culture. Once there was a shift away from the single-family unit to a more community based system. How did this shift affect culture? Can the rise of humanity living the way it does now be traced back to fire and the many uses it has?

We take most of the things that we do each day for granted but imagine for a moment that one day you had to eat a fish raw (and not like sushi either) but then the next day could cook it. What affect would that have on you as a person? What affect would it have on your family? How would it affect your mobility? And your desire to move?

Each of the things that I’ve just spoken about took place between (according to scientific theories currently explored) 1,400,000 and 10,000 BC. That is very important as we have a very skewed understanding of not only humanity but of cultural development. As I’m sure she is going to point out what happened with the shift to communal culture? What was the affect on our food consumption? What was the major diet shift? What does it mean today as we look back to then?

I’m thinking specifically of the great ancient empires. What of Egypt? How did that culture come into being the most powerful? I’m positive that food and the access to it in abundance had something to do with it. The Bible even gives us some understanding with regard to food production and consumption in the post Egyptian era. But what does it all mean in terms of food development? What was the affect on our taste buds? On our health? On our internal organs? On our BRAINS?

These are just some of the things going through my mind right now as I read this book.

Epicurus once said; “Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.” Food for thought.

Dream inspired. Be wild; fill your soul with intention and delight. Be you and soar.

A la Prochaine

SDM