2,000 year old food found off Italian coast (VIDEO)
The NOAA expedition off the Gulf of Mexico found several interesting items laying on the ocean floor.
There's food you've left in the fridge too long – and then there's 2,000 year old victuals found in the sea off the coast of Genova, Italy.
Discovery.com reported that amphorae (storage jars) of ancient food were found in a sunken merchant vessel, which was located by a remotely operated vehicle.
The ship sank about 2,000 years ago, scientists believe, and was headed between central Italy and Spain with large quantities of food – the ancient equivalent of a semi tractor trailer.
Tests on the jars indicated they contained oil, grain, and pickled fish (which probably has become rather funky).
Read more: Archaeologist studies ancient food for thought – LiveScience.com
Authorities have yet to decide if they'll raise the sunken vessel or not.
Ancient food is a viable historical and archeological discipline, providing interesting clues into the day-to-day lives of our ancestors. An excellent example of this arena of research is the Pompeii Food and Drink project, near Naples, Italy.
Read more from GlobalPost: Ancient wine unearthed in Chinese tomb
Honey, a remarkably long-lived food, can last for thousands of years: in March, remnants of 5,500 year-old honey were found inside clay vessels, according to CNC.
There's also an ancient (and un-verified) legend that the body of a child was reputedly found in a vat of ancient Egyptian honey – Snopes.com does the honors.