Archaeologists in Peru recently made a remarkable discovery, unearthing freeze-dried potatoes that date back roughly 500 years to the time of the Inca Empire. The potatoes, known as chuño, were found at the Tambo Viejo site in the Acarí Valley in southwestern Peru.
Preservation Methods
The preservation of the potatoes is ‘excellent,’ according to Lidio Valdez, an archaeology professor at the University of Calgary, who led the excavation. Valdez noted that the two freeze-dried potatoes are remarkably similar to modern-day produce, with the only difference being their reduced size due to the aridity of the region.
The significance of the discovery lies in the fact that it shows the Inca transported food over long distances. Freeze-dried potatoes can be produced only at high elevations, and the Inca state stored them in state-controlled warehouses, most of which were built at high elevations.
The potatoes were then placed in ceramic vessels and stored underground to avoid food waste. This method of preservation is particularly impressive, given that potatoes have high water content and do not survive long in most places.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
