Food Through History

Every scene here is a reconstruction — a moment in the story of food rebuilt from archaeology, written records and food science, and dated as closely as the evidence allows. Informed visualizations of the past, not photographs of it.

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Hybrid Maize Transforms American Grain ProductionHybrid Maize Transforms American Grain ProductionIlkhanid Persian Court CuisineIlkhanid Persian Court CuisineInca Inti Raymi at CuscoInca Inti Raymi at CuscoIndia Pale Ale Enters Export TradeIndia Pale Ale Enters Export TradeIndia’s Independence State BanquetIndia’s Independence State BanquetIndia’s Salt Tax Becomes a Tool of Colonial ExtractionIndia’s Salt Tax Becomes a Tool of Colonial ExtractionIndian Famine of 1896–1897Indian Famine of 1896–1897Indian Famine of 1899–1900Indian Famine of 1899–1900Induction Cooking Enters Mass-Market KitchensInduction Cooking Enters Mass-Market KitchensIndustrial Insect Farming ExpandsIndustrial Insect Farming ExpandsIndustrial Rendering Converts Animal By-productsIndustrial Rendering Converts Animal By-productsIndustrial Roller Milling Produces Cheap White FlourIndustrial Roller Milling Produces Cheap White FlourIndustrial Salmon Farming Begins in NorwayIndustrial Salmon Farming Begins in NorwayInstant Coffee Patent and GlobalizationInstant Coffee Patent and GlobalizationIodized Salt Enters Mass DistributionIodized Salt Enters Mass DistributionIR8 Miracle Rice Is ReleasedIR8 Miracle Rice Is ReleasedIrish Famine of 1740–1741Irish Famine of 1740–1741Irish Great FamineIrish Great FamineIslamic Halal Food Rules Spread with the CaliphatesIslamic Halal Food Rules Spread with the CaliphatesIslamic-Era Rice ExpansionIslamic-Era Rice ExpansionIvan the Terrible's Oprichnina Feast at Aleksandrovskaya SlobodaIvan the Terrible's Oprichnina Feast at Aleksandrovskaya SlobodaJahangir’s Nowruz BanquetJahangir’s Nowruz BanquetJames I’s Hampton Court Christmas FeastJames I’s Hampton Court Christmas FeastJames Lind’s Scurvy ExperimentJames Lind’s Scurvy ExperimentJamestown’s Starving TimeJamestown’s Starving TimeJapan Normalizes Meat ConsumptionJapan Normalizes Meat ConsumptionJapan's First School Lunch Program in YamagataJapan's First School Lunch Program in YamagataJava’s Cultivation SystemJava’s Cultivation SystemJebel Irhoud Early Homo sapiensJebel Irhoud Early Homo sapiensJefferson’s White House Diplomatic DinnerJefferson’s White House Diplomatic DinnerJenne-jeno’s Urban West AfricaJenne-jeno’s Urban West AfricaJericho’s Early CultivatorsJericho’s Early CultivatorsJerusalem in the First Temple PeriodJerusalem in the First Temple PeriodJewish Dietary Law Is Codified in Written TraditionJewish Dietary Law Is Codified in Written TraditionJiahu Fermented-Drink GatheringJiahu Fermented-Drink GatheringJiahu Rice, Fish and FermentationJiahu Rice, Fish and FermentationJōmon Beginnings at Sannai Maruyama’s RegionJōmon Beginnings at Sannai Maruyama’s RegionJōmon Sannai MaruyamaJōmon Sannai MaruyamaJōmon Shellfish at TorihamaJōmon Shellfish at TorihamaJoseon Royal Banquet for Chinese EnvoysJoseon Royal Banquet for Chinese EnvoysJoseon Royal Founding BanquetJoseon Royal Founding BanquetJosiah’s Passover at JerusalemJosiah’s Passover at JerusalemJulius Caesar’s Triumph BanquetJulius Caesar’s Triumph BanquetJustinian's Hagia Sophia Dedication FeastJustinian's Hagia Sophia Dedication FeastKamakura Samurai HouseholdsKamakura Samurai HouseholdsKamakura Shogunal New-Year FeastKamakura Shogunal New-Year FeastKamehameha I’s Royal LuauKamehameha I’s Royal LuauKamehameha II Breaks the Kapu at a FeastKamehameha II Breaks the Kapu at a FeastKandake Amanitore's Temple Feast at MeroeKandake Amanitore's Temple Feast at MeroeKanem-Bornu Court Feast at Njimi, ChadKanem-Bornu Court Feast at Njimi, ChadKanjera South Meat ProcessingKanjera South Meat ProcessingKarakorum: Foods of a Eurasian CapitalKarakorum: Foods of a Eurasian CapitalKebara NeanderthalsKebara NeanderthalsKennedy’s Mount Vernon State DinnerKennedy’s Mount Vernon State DinnerKennedy’s Versailles-Inspired White House DinnerKennedy’s Versailles-Inspired White House DinnerKerma Royal Cattle Funeral FeastKerma Royal Cattle Funeral FeastKerma’s Nubian CapitalKerma’s Nubian CapitalKfar HaHoresh Mortuary FeastKfar HaHoresh Mortuary FeastKhirokitia Stone VillageKhirokitia Stone VillageKilwa’s Swahili MerchantsKilwa’s Swahili Merchants