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The 2,000-Year-Old Butter Discovery
A 2,000-year-old butter was discovered in an Irish bog, and it still has the aroma of butter. "Technically, it is still edible," say experts.
A block of butter weighing ten kilograms was discovered in a bog in Ireland by a local citizen. Scientists estimate that this block of butter was made and buried in the bog 2,000 years ago.
Jack Conway, who found the butter, was engrossed in his bog work when he stumbled upon the block. He contacted the local museum, and the butter was sent to the National Museum of Ireland. "Bogs have excellent preservation qualities," the museum stated in a released statement, "featuring low temperatures, low oxygen, and highly acidic environments."
"In ancient Ireland, butter was a luxury food often offered to spirits and idols. In such cases, the butter was frequently buried, and this likely also happened with this block of butter."
The bog where the butter was found is located at a crossroads between three ancient Irish kingdoms. While butter was generally preserved in bogs inside wooden chests or animal hides, the butter found by Conway was not covered at all—and it still smells like butter.
"Technically, you can still eat this butter," says the National Museum of Ireland. "But we don’t think it would be a good idea."
Jack Conway, who found the butter, was engrossed in his bog work when he stumbled upon the block. He contacted the local museum, and the butter was sent to the National Museum of Ireland. "Bogs have excellent preservation qualities," the museum stated in a released statement, "featuring low temperatures, low oxygen, and highly acidic environments."
"In ancient Ireland, butter was a luxury food often offered to spirits and idols. In such cases, the butter was frequently buried, and this likely also happened with this block of butter."
The bog where the butter was found is located at a crossroads between three ancient Irish kingdoms. While butter was generally preserved in bogs inside wooden chests or animal hides, the butter found by Conway was not covered at all—and it still smells like butter.
"Technically, you can still eat this butter," says the National Museum of Ireland. "But we don’t think it would be a good idea."
