4,000-year-old flavor in Kayseri: ‘Kaniş Cheese’

Archaeological findings and documents dating back 6,000 years have been brought to light at the Kültepe Kaniş-Karum Excavation Site, known as the ‘place where Anatolian history began’, revealing information especially about the commercial life of the era. The tablets found at the Kültepe-Kaniş-Karum Excavation Site shed light on the existence of a cheese known as ‘Kültepe cheese’ in the region 4,000 years ago, as stated by the Excavation Site Director Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu.
Excavations led by Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu at the Kültepe-Kaniş-Karum Excavation Site located on the Kayseri-Sivas highway continue under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and with the support of Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality, revealing insights into history. As the excavations at the Kültepe Kaniş-Karum Excavation Site, which has a deep-rooted history of 6,000 years, enter their 76th year, Excavation Site Director Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu noted the presence of a special cheese known as ‘Kültepe Cheese’ in the region 4,000 years ago, which people used to carry with them during journeys.
Referring to the similarities between the present geography and that of 4,000 years ago in terms of agriculture and animal husbandry, Excavation Site Director Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu stated that ancient traditions have continued without interruption. He emphasized the significance of continuity in revealing interesting aspects of the past. Kayseri, being a special place in the Central Anatolian Region, is known throughout Turkey and even globally for its pastirma (spiced beef). The tablets contain valuable information, including the fact that ancient people used to carry packaged, sliced, dried meat with them on journeys, similar to preparing a sandwich today. Additionally, another interesting item was cheese. There was a cheese called ‘Kaniş Cheese’ 4,000 years ago, which the tablets indicate they also carried with them. Essentially, what exists in today’s geography was also present in a similar form 4,000 years ago.
“A special cheese”
By mentioning that the ancient people’s naming of the cheese as ‘Kültepe Cheese’ made it special, Prof. Dr. Fikri Kulakoğlu added, ‘We see the names of all kinds of objects we couldn’t name before in the documents left by the Assyrians for Kültepe. Among them, there is a cheese called ‘Kaniş Cheese’. Surely, if it wasn’t a special cheese, they wouldn’t call it ‘Kaniş Cheese,’ they would just say cheese.’