Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Forest Gum

Was It A Wrigley's Product?

A five-thousand-year-old piece of chewing gum has been discovered by an English archaeology student. Sarah Pickin, 23, from Derby University, found the lump of birch bark tar on a dig in western Finland. Neolithic people used the material as an antiseptic to treat gum infections, as well as a glue for repairing pots. Ms Pickin's tutor, Professor Trevor Brown, said: "It's particularly significant because well defined tooth imprints were found on the gum. Birch bark tar contains phenols, which are antiseptic compounds."

FOOTNOTE: Neolithic Man's ``bark'' was worse than his bite.

15 comments:

skinnylittleblonde said...

Interesting...I imagine it was very sticky, as it is tar.
I wonder if it was also used as a means to extract rotten teeth.

Colleen said...

How do you manage to find such interesting little tidbits of information? I used to save all my old chewing gum and post it on my bed post for future chewing. I forgot about that till I read you post. ;)

david mcmahon said...

Hi SLB,

Never thought of that - it would have been a great way to extract those teeth.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Colleen,

I guess I just like to share the stories that appeal to the quirky side of me!

Wasn't it mandatory for us all to store our chewing gum in that manner!!

Keep smiling

David

Berni said...

Thanks for comment on whales. I like Vegemite. Vindaloo, I think, is a type of curry isn't it? I like curry also. So I expect I would like your book.LOL

Is it available in Canada?

RUTH said...

colleens comment has got me singing the Lonnie Donegan song "Does your chewing gum lose it's flavour on the bedpost overnight.......

I've poppped a link on my post today re your "dumped ex" post.

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

"Sarah Pickin"! HAHAHAHA! Wat a good nayme! "Pickin"! HAHAHA!

She has a sister calld Daisy, yu kno.

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

And a dog hoo goze by the nayme ov "Nose".

david mcmahon said...

Hi Vic,

I've been a fan of Vegemite since I was a kid - but it is most definitely an acquired taste!

Strangely enough, my agent, Beverley Slopen, is Canadian and based in Toronto.

Will send you a link for the book.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi Ruth,

Ah, you're such a good sport. Thanks very much for the post.

And yes, Colleen always brings a smile to my face as well.

Keep smiling

David

david mcmahon said...

Hi BTBear,

This time you are two or three steps ahead of me!

Keep smiling

David

Stacy said...

I love finds like this, and they always make me wonder how those Neolithic people knew the birch bark tar could be used as an antiseptic in the first place.

I think it is fascinating how people took care of medical needs in the past, before the modern age of medicine.

Brian in Oxford said...

My dad used to have me try chewing spruce-sap gum. Nothing's worse than chewing stuff with small pieces of bark in it. Hopefully our ancestor friends had a way to strain that stuff out.

Anonymous said...

I still don't think it would be permitted for resale in Singapore.

:)

*Goddess* said...

When we were kids we used to chew Birch bark all the time.