bread

By minerrvo
  • Period: 10,000 BCE to 10,000 BCE

    bread creation

    12,000 years ago (around 10,000 BCE): The earliest evidence of bread-making dates back to the Neolithic period. Ancient people in the Near East began grinding wild grains like barley and wheat into flour, mixing it with water, and cooking it on hot stones or in primitive ovens. This early bread was likely flat and unleavened.
  • 3000 BCE

    bread

    5,000 years ago (around 3,000 BCE): The Egyptians are credited with discovering the process of leavening, where dough rises due to fermentation. They may have left dough out and observed that natural yeast in the air caused the dough to rise. This led to the development of leavened bread. Egyptians also advanced baking by developing ovens and refining bread-making techniques.
  • 2024 BCE

    present day

    Late 20th and early 21st centuries: With growing interest in health, artisan breads and varieties like sourdough, rye, and gluten-free bread have gained popularity. The rise of organic and locally-sourced ingredients, along with a focus on traditional baking methods, has made bread-making a craft for many bakers.
  • 1000 BCE

    bread history

    1,000 BCE: Bread-making spread to Greece and Rome, where it became an important part of daily life. Romans improved the techniques of baking, using stone mills for grinding flour and developing more sophisticated ovens.
  • 500 BCE

    middle ages

    Middle Ages (500-1500 AD): During the Medieval period, bread was a primary food source for peasants and nobility alike. The invention of the windmill in the 12th century significantly improved flour production, making it easier to mill grains in larger quantities.
  • 1 BCE

    bread

    17th century: In France, the development of more refined baking techniques, such as the introduction of sourdough, helped improve the quality of bread. Bread, especially white bread made from refined flour, became associated with wealth, while whole grain bread was consumed by the poorer classes.

  • revolution

    19th century (1800s): The Industrial Revolution led to major changes in bread production. Mechanized mills allowed for the mass production of flour, and the invention of yeast cultivation (around the 1850s) led to faster and more reliable leavening of bread. The first commercial bakeries were established, and bread became widely available and more affordable.

  • bread

    20th century: The invention of sliced bread in 1928 by Otto Rohwedder in the United States revolutionized bread consumption. It made bread more convenient for consumers, and it was marketed as "the greatest thing since sliced bread." Mass-produced bread became a household staple worldwide, with varieties like white, whole wheat, and multigrain becoming common.