Barley

A grass in the genus Hordeum, barley is cultivated mostly for animal feed and as a key ingredient in beer. Barley is also used in private kitchens in the making of soup, cereal, and gluten-free bread. Archeologists studying Sumeria in southern Mesopotamia discovered remnants of wild barley, Hordeum spontaneum, dating to approximately 8000 BCE. Resembling oatmeal, barley grains were used as a basic unit in the Sumerian measuring system. Cultivated barley was important to the Egyptians dating to 5000 BCE. Barley bread and beer made from fermented barley were everyday nourishment for Egyptian slaves who built the pyramids. Much later, the medieval English used barley bread as a trencher, which served as a platter, bowl, plate, and serving dish.