250 year old pretzel , The world's oldest pretzel has been discovered by archaeologists in Germany - and has lost none of its appeal despite being baked 250 years ago.
The popular snack was found at an excavation site in the eastern Bavarian city of Regensburg and experts believe it was thrown away in disappointment after being burnt to a crisp in the oven.
The black pretzel was discovered alongside the charred remains of a bread roll and a croissant and it is thought that the food items have been preserved for so long because they were badly burnt by their 18th century baker.
Silvia Codreanau-Windauer from the Bavarian Bureau for the Conservation of Historic Monuments told The Local: 'This is definitely the oldest pretzel ever found.'
The mayor of Regensburg Joachim Wolbergs added. 'This discovery is really extraordinary, because it depicts a snippet of everyday life.
Pretzels are a traditional south German and Austrian delicacy and have been a favorite in Germany for centuries.
In Bavaria, pretzels are often eaten for breakfast alongside weisswurst (white sausage) with sweet mustard.
Speaking to The Local, Ms Codreanu-Windauer added some historical context to the find, saying: 'The form of the pretzel is supposed to represent the crossed arms of monks. Eventually it ended up as a fasting meal.'
Monks are the symbol of Bavaria's capital Munich and different orders and monasteries give their names to many of the state's most prominent beers.
The excavation site in Regensburg has been a hit with archaeologists, who recently discovered a wooden house there thought to be up to 1,200 years old.
On the site, which lies on the Danube, there are plans to build a museum for Bavarian history to mark the 2018 centenary of the region's status as a free state.
The popular snack was found at an excavation site in the eastern Bavarian city of Regensburg and experts believe it was thrown away in disappointment after being burnt to a crisp in the oven.
The black pretzel was discovered alongside the charred remains of a bread roll and a croissant and it is thought that the food items have been preserved for so long because they were badly burnt by their 18th century baker.
Silvia Codreanau-Windauer from the Bavarian Bureau for the Conservation of Historic Monuments told The Local: 'This is definitely the oldest pretzel ever found.'
The mayor of Regensburg Joachim Wolbergs added. 'This discovery is really extraordinary, because it depicts a snippet of everyday life.
Pretzels are a traditional south German and Austrian delicacy and have been a favorite in Germany for centuries.
In Bavaria, pretzels are often eaten for breakfast alongside weisswurst (white sausage) with sweet mustard.
Speaking to The Local, Ms Codreanu-Windauer added some historical context to the find, saying: 'The form of the pretzel is supposed to represent the crossed arms of monks. Eventually it ended up as a fasting meal.'
Monks are the symbol of Bavaria's capital Munich and different orders and monasteries give their names to many of the state's most prominent beers.
The excavation site in Regensburg has been a hit with archaeologists, who recently discovered a wooden house there thought to be up to 1,200 years old.
On the site, which lies on the Danube, there are plans to build a museum for Bavarian history to mark the 2018 centenary of the region's status as a free state.
