Traditional sour dough village bread (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
The Story of Bread
The story of bread is the story of civilization, limited only by our imagination.
Time passes with each simple nourishment, from minutes to years.
Flour, water, and a little salt are all that are needed to reflect upon the history of Anatolia. And bread is our story.
Bazlama bread (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
5 Things to Know About the History of Bread in Türkiye
Ramadan pide (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
1. Bread is Multicultural
Türkiye sits at the crossroads of time. The hub of empires from the Hittites to the Ottomans has for centuries dominated the Silk Roads and vital maritime spice routes crossing Anatolia and the known world, connecting traders with exotic, far-flung lands.
Assyrian gold seal (1800-1700 dolayları) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
2. Bread is Ancient
One of the most striking relics of bread's deep-rooted history on Turkish soil is this 3,800-year-old (1800 BCE) Assyrian seal.
Found in central Anatolia, it shows a type of bread reminiscent of today's pita bread, together with its master.
Lavash (Yufka) (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
3. Bread is Versatile
Ancient grains, innovative utensils, and baking ovens found in excavations across Türkiye show us many stories across the centuries.
Accounts of bread from the vast Ottoman era gift us glimpses of bread's treasured and vibrant place in Anatolian history.
Making bread in Ottoman bakery, miniature by İntizâmî and GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
4. Bread is for Everyone
Ottomans baked two main types of bread, has and harici. Palace cuisine was renowned for its creativity and depth.
Light, delicate "has" came from the finest flour for the palace dwellers, whilst "harici" loafs satisfied the citizens with its heavier substance.
Traditional bazlama making (2023) by GoTürkiyeGoTürkiye
5. Bread is an Evolving Story
The famous Ottoman explorer Evliya Çelebi describes more than 46 bread types in İstanbul alone in the 1600s.
Evolving varieties are still made at home and in bakeries, with wheat, corn, bran and rye, and more exotic ingredients and flavors.
