Discovery of ancient noodles in China

Noodles have been a staple food in many parts of the world for at least 2,000 years, though whether the modern version of the stringy pasta was first invented by the Chinese, Italians, or Arabs is debatable.

In 2005, archaeologists digging at Lajia in northwestern China discovered an unusual artifact; a bowl of noodles.  These easily recognizable noodles are more than 2000 years older than the earliest mention of noodles.

It was located in a terrace on the upper reaches of the Yellow Rover at Lajia, Qinghai Province.

The noodles date to about 2000 BC and provide the earliest evidence of noodles in culinary history. The thin yellow noodles, made from foxtail millet and broomcorn millet were preserved under an upturned bowl 3 meter below the surface.
Discovery of ancient noodles in China