Traces of a 2000-Year-Old Vietnamese Curry Found on Ancient Utensils

Traces of spices found on stone tools recently excavated in Vietnam suggest that curries may have been cooked in South-East Asia for over 2000 years. During excavations at the Oc Eo archaeological site in southern Vietnam, researchers uncovered sandstone grinding tools along with remnants of spices. A closer analysis of 717 grains of starch recovered from the tools revealed the presence of eight types of spices, including turmeric, ginger, galangal, sand ginger, fingerroot, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Many of the grains were also deformed, indicating that they were damaged from grinding and resemble starch granules found in modern curry powder. This discovery strongly suggests that the ancient inhabitants of Oc Eo used these spices, particularly turmeric and ginger, as essential ingredients in their culinary practices, possibly in the preparation of curry.

The maritime trading routes between South-East Asia and South Asia existed over 3000 years ago, during which spices like nutmeg and clove were imported from Indonesia, while turmeric and cinnamon were sourced from South Asia. Stone grinding tools, including those found at Oc Eo, first appeared in South-East Asia 2000 to 3000 years ago, along with other cultural elements from South Asia like Indian ornaments and religious monuments. This suggests that these tools, spices, and recipes were likely introduced to the region through migration or travel from South Asia. The spices found at Oc Eo are believed to have come from traders but could have also been locally grown from seeds brought by the traders.

This discovery provides valuable insights into the dietary habits of South-East Asian societies during that time and sheds light on the cultural and trading connections between different regions over thousands of years.