Ancient Diets Revealed: What Croatians ate in the Iron Age
- by croatiaweek
- in Food & Wine
ZAGREB, 5 February 2026 (Hina) – A new exhibition in central Zagreb is offering a rare and fascinating glimpse into everyday life more than 2,500 years ago, through food.
The Archaeological Museum in Zagreb has opened a new display titled “What Our (Great-)Ancestors Ate” (Što su jeli naši (pra)stari), currently installed in the street-level window of the Ilica Skyscraper.
Using cutting-edge scientific research and tangible archaeological evidence, the exhibition reconstructs what people consumed during the Early Iron Age, a period with no written sources.
The exhibition draws on findings from the Kaptol archaeological site near Požega, one of Croatia’s most significant Hallstatt-period settlements.
Through a combination of archaeobotanical, zooarchaeological and bioarchaeological analyses, researchers have been able to identify food ingredients, cooking practices and broader survival strategies of Iron Age communities.
Carbonised seeds, animal bones, pottery fragments and cooking tools have all played a key role.
“Charred plant remains and animal bones allow us to gain insight into everyday diets, but also into wider survival strategies of the Iron Age population at Kaptol,” the museum explained.
As part of several international research initiatives, including the EU-funded Iron-Age-Danube project, the Archaeological Museum in Zagreb collaborated with institutions across the Danube region to research, document and publish a Hallstatt-era cookbook.
The recipes are based exclusively on ingredients confirmed at Kaptol through archaeological evidence, offering historically grounded interpretations of meals that could realistically have been prepared more than two millennia ago.
What was on the Iron Age menu?
Research shows that Iron Age inhabitants of the region relied heavily on agriculture and animal husbandry.
Plant foods included:
• Millet
• Barley
• Wheat
• Legumes such as peas
• Wild plants
Archaeobotanical analysis of charred grains and seeds provides insight not only into crops, but also into farming methods, food processing, storage and cooking techniques.
Animal protein came mainly from domesticated species. Zooarchaeological studies reveal that diets were dominated by:
• Cattle
• Sheep
• Goats
• Pigs
Wild game and fish were present but far less common, suggesting hunting and fishing played a secondary role in daily nutrition.
Beyond traditional excavation methods, scientists are increasingly using stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen found in human and animal bones. These techniques help estimate the balance between plant-based and animal-based proteins in the diet.
Other important clues come from ceramic vessels, hearths, ovens and stone tools such as querns and pestles, which point to specific culinary practices and household organisation. Advanced residue analysis of pottery can even identify traces of animal fats, dairy products and plant oils once cooked or stored inside.
The exhibition is accompanied by a blog written by its author, senior curator Ana Đukić, who explores food as a gateway into the past. Her writing highlights how meals reveal stories about people, traditions and knowledge that shaped life in the region long before recorded history.
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The Archaeological Museum has also announced that selected Iron Age recipes will be shared via its official website and newsletter, allowing readers to try preparing dishes inspired by ancient Croatia.
The exhibition can be viewed free of charge in the Ilica Skyscraper passageway until 29 May.
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