Ancient Wheats

There are three species of wheat that one comes across today that might be termed “ancient”. These are Einkhorn, Emmer and Spelt.

Einkorn

This is one of the earliest forms of cultivated wheat, seeds having been found in sites dated to 8000BC but its use or cultivation decreased in the Bronze Age. Surviving on poor soils, it is now largely relegated to that of a local food crop typically in the mountainous areas of countries such as Morocco, the Baltic States and Turkey. It is not easily milled having very tight husks or glumes that enlcose the grains and have to be mechanically stripped before the milling process can begin.

There is evidence that the proteins in Einkorn may not provoke such extreme allergic reactions in sufferers of wheat intolerance as can be attributed to modern wheat proteins. However, there is no official scientific backing for this and the evidence is largely anecdotal.

Emmer

Widely believed to be derived from the hybridisation of Einkhorn with a variety of wild grass, Emmer was the first widely cultivated domestic wheat. Also known as Farro in Italy, it is a low yielding wheat that is now only found in mountainous regions of Europe and Asia. Like Einkhorn and Spelt it has very strong husks that makes it harder to mill as these husks have to be removed first.

Its early popularity as a cultivated wheat lasted from 7700BC to the Bronze Age, c.3000BC, when Barley took over as the standard cereal crop. In Ancient Egypt, despite neighbouring countries growing Einkhorn, durum and common wheat, Emmer was the only cultivated wheat during the Pharonic period. Emmer and barley were the principal ingredients in Egyptian beers. Emmer is often mistranslated from ancient writings as Spelt, particularly in rabbinic references and also in Greek and Latin translations. Spelt did not grow in ancient Israel and also only appeared late on in Roman history whilst Emmer was a significant crop until the end of the Iron Age.

Its main use is as a bread flour. In Italy it is used as a whole grain in soups and has a limited application in pasta. Being closely related to common wheat it is unsuitable for sufferers of wheat allergies and coeliac disease.

Spelt

Of these three grains, Spelt is probably the most widely known, having seen a recent resurgence in popularity as a health food particularly as it delivers a less serious reaction in sufferers from wheat intolerance. It is however closely related to common wheat and such is not suitable for those with coeliac disease.

It was an important staple in Europe from the Bronze Age through to Medieval times being the principal wheat species in Southern Germany and at one time in southern Britain too. It is often referred to as Roman wheat given its frequent discovery in Roman burial sites and its DNA is remarkably similar from these finds to modern Spelt grown today.

Possibly derived from a cross between Emmer and another wild grass, it is thought to have originated in the Near East.  A second hybridisation might have resulted in its later appearance in Europe as modern research has shown that crossing Emmer with modern bread wheat also results in Spelt.

Keeping these ancient wheats alive is an important part of the stewardship of genetic diversity that will contribute greatly to the richness of our natural environment.  They have a place in our food heritage, being the original domesticated grains that man first used when settling down instead of being more nomadic.