THE world’s first baby “bottles”, used to feed them animal milk more than 3,000 years ago, have been identified. Experts analysed residues in three ceramic beakers found in kids’ graves in Bavaria, Germany, dating from 1,200BC to 450BC. It revealed they had milk from domesticated cattle, sheep or goats. The University of Bristol researchers say […]
THE world’s first baby “bottles”, used to feed them animal milk more than 3,000 years ago, have been identified.
Experts analysed residues in three ceramic beakers found in kids’ graves in Bavaria, Germany, dating from 1,200BC to 450BC.
It revealed they had milk from domesticated cattle, sheep or goats.
The University of Bristol researchers say the vessels’ design, contents and where they were found confirm they were used for weaning babies.
It is the first evidence ancient tots had milk in the equivalent of bottles. Clay feeding vessels first appeared around 5,000BC.
They had spouts and some even have feet and are shaped like imaginary animals.
They are usually small enough to fit within a baby’s hands and have a spout through which liquid could be suckled.
Some even have feet and are shaped like imaginary animals.
The boffins say the animal milk may have given babies a valuable source of extra nutrition but carried health risks.
The unpasteurised milk and beakers themselves are feared to have been carriers of deadly bacteria.
Dr Katharina Rebay-Salisbury, who worked on the study at the Austrian Academy of Sciences, said: “Bringing up babies in prehistory was not an easy task.
“We are interested in researching cultural practices of mothering, which had profound implications for the survival of babies.
“It is fascinating to be able to see, for the first time, which foods these vessels contained.”
The findings are published in the journal Prehistoric family scene showing an infant being fed with baby bottle similar to those recently discovered.
