Evidence of 2,000-year-old Vietnamese curry sheds new light on ancient trade routes

The port city of Oc Eo in Vietnam played an important role in the global spice trade as a cultural and trading crossroads. PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PEXELS

CANBERRA – Researchers from Australia have discovered the remnants of a curry dating back thousands of years in Vietnam, shedding new light on ancient trade routes.

Believed to be the earliest known curry in South-east Asia, the 2,000-year-old meal was found by a team from Australian National University (ANU) at the Oc Eo archaeological site in Vietnam’s far south.

Analysis of micro-remains recovered from the surfaces of stone grinding tools in a study revealed a wide range of spices, including ginger, turmeric, clove, nutmeg and cinnamon.

“Our study suggests that curries were most likely introduced to South-east Asia by migrants during the period of early trade contact via the Indian Ocean,” Ms Wang Weiwei, lead author of the study, said in a media release on July 22.

“Given these spices originated from various different locations, it’s clear people were undertaking long-distance journeys for trade purposes.”

Ms Wang said the global spice trade had linked cultures and economies in Asia, Africa and Europe since classical times, and the port city of Oc Eo played an important role in this trade as a cultural and trading crossroads.

Previous excavations at Oc Eo have found goods from China, India and the Mediterranean, revealing the port city’s role as a major trade hub.

In addition to the remnants of the curry, the ANU team also dug up a significant number of well-preserved seeds.

“The seeds were so fresh it was hard to believe they were 2,000 years old,” researcher Hsiao-chun Hung said.

“We believe further analysis could identify more spices and possibly even uncover unique plant species, adding to our understanding of the history of the region.” XINHUA

This article was originally published on The Straits Times. Its inclusion on this website is solely for education purposes.