Andy and I visited the museum at Ancient Mycenae and were lucky to catch another special exhibition on food. The exhibition detailed the diet and cooking practices of the ancient Myceneans (circa 2000 - 3000 BC).

Despite the antiquity of their civilization, the Mycenaeans had an advanced diet. Analysis of clay pots excavated at Mycenae shows traces of honey, legumes, olives, herbs, grains, oil and wine. Refuse from shellfish indicates that the Mycenaean utilised the coastline to their south, and small animal bones reveal that the Mycenaeans ate meat.

In other words, the Greek diet has not changed much in the last 5000 years!

I was intrigued by the many clay kitchen instruments that have been found, including cups, bowls, ladles, sieves, cauldrons and tripods for cooking over fire. But my favourite item was a clay grill, which looked uncannily like the one we used in Norway at the Gerainger fjord.

GRILLING, circa 2000 BC

GRILLING, circa 2000 AD

Vegetarian in Greece: More posts on Greek veggie food

• Shhh! Greek food is vegetarian friendly
• Cheap vegetarian food in Greece
• Food and wine Santorini style
• Cretan food: not food for cretins
• Central fruit and vegetable markets, Athens
• Filistron mezedes restaurant, Athens

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