A stone vessel, buried for centuries under the soil of Galicia, in the north-west of Spain. A smell that once had to be pungent, brackish, almost annoying. And a content, today only chips of bones, which tells an ancient story, Perfumed of sea and fermentation. That’s where a group of scientists discovered the main ingredient of garumthe most loved sauce of the Roman Empire: Sardine.
The study, published in the magazine Antiquityis the work of the Portuguese biologist Gonçalo themudowhich recovered and analyzed the DNA of tiny fish bones found on the bottom of a tank used to produce garum. The result? After 1,800 yearsit is still possible to read in the genetic code of those thorns a tasty secret that the Romans brought everywhere: a fermented sardine sauce.
DNA speaks
What for centuries had been only a suspicion – based on bone fragments that are difficult to identify – today has become a scientific certainty. The vertebrae found on the archaeological site of Adro Velloin Galicia, they probably belonged to local sardines. Their DNA, surprisingly still readable despite centuries of decomposition, confirmed it.
We thought they were sardines but there was always the risk of making mistakes, since they were very small and scattered bones. When we found the first legible and corresponding genetic sequences, it was a real surprise.
The garumtherefore, was not just a generic fish sauce, but A fermented sardine concentratevery rich in natural glutamatesthe same substances responsible for the “umami” flavor that we find today in soy saucein the fish brothsin the mushrooms and in seasoned cheeses. A decisive, intense taste, perhaps also a little aggressive – but evidently irresistible for the palates of the time.
Garum, liquid gold of antiquity
Garum was not just a condiment. It was one fine goodstransported along the commercial routes of the Empire and consumed in all Roman provinces, from the Mediterranean to northern Europe. According to scholars, it was used for Feel meat and fishor even diluted as fish broth. And despite the smell – certainly strong – was considered a luxury ingredientso much to be worth a lot.
A sort of “Roman fish sauce”, fermented in large tanks with fish, salt and time. The result? An amber liquid, rich in flavor and protein, capable of transforming any dish into a rich and tasty dish.
The discovery in Galicia not only confirms the importance of sardines in the Roman diet, but shows that DNA can survive even in extreme conditions.
The DNA degrades over time as sheets of paper that tear into increasingly smaller pieces, until they become illegible. Yet, here we managed to decipher him.
A fascinating discovery that combines archeology, genetics and food culture. And that makes us see how much, after all, Our taste for strong and fermented flavors did not change a lot.
