Symbolism Of Dairy Products
History of Dairy Produce
THE ORIGIN OF DAIRY PRODUCE, MILK
Milk emerge as food in Eurasia around 10000 – 9000 BCE when sheep and goats came under human control exactly when agriculture had taken place.
Cattles came under control around 7000 – 6000 BCE in Southwestern Asia, in the Fertile Crescent.
Cattles are more valued for meat, hide, dung and labor. Milk is available only when the cattle have calf.
Early signs of cattle herding have been found in Catal Huyuk, Anatolia. Evidences shows the evolution of Auroch about 7400 BCE to Cattle about 6800 BCE
The oldest known record of herding and milking is a series of paintings in the Libyan Sahara showing milking and perhaps cheese making around 5000 BCE.
Records of milk consumption also existed in the Sumerian dated about 3500 BCE and the Egyptian a centuries later.
In Europe, excavation on the banks of Lake Neuchatel in Switzerland have found traces of milk from a potsherds with holes dating 6000 BCE. It is believed to be drainers for separating curds from whey.
In Egypt, milk drinking is considered luxurious. Only farmers, nomadic shepherds and those of the riches and royalties can afford to drink milk.
In Greek and Roman, milk drinking is considered barbarous and also the mark of pastoral people. Only 3 roman recipes of Apicius is recorded to have milk as an ingredient.
In Greek and Roman society, milk are turned into products that can be kept for a longer period of time. Milk are almost always turned into cheese and yogurt.
Milk comes from many sources of mammals.
Common mammals known to provide milk:
Sheep (the ewe)
Goat (the mare)
Donkey (the jenny)
Camel
Yak
Water buffalo
Milk comes an Indo-European word ‘melf’ meaning for wiping or stroking. The German was the first to adopt the word in...
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