Ancient Soap Shop

[TashaBird]

Even back then they had to wait 2 months for their soap to cure!
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smar...oil-soap-factory-discovered-israel-180975599/

 

[GemstonePony]

I appreciate that it's Olive oil, so after they cooked it for 7 days, it had to harden for another 10 days before they cut it. I suppose they left the ash in the oil so it would harden faster?

 

[Misschief]

I appreciate that it's Olive oil, so after they cooked it for 7 days, it had to harden for another 10 days before they cut it. I suppose they left the ash in the oil so it would harden faster?

Don't forget - this soap wasn't likely used for bathing/washing purposes, as per the article.

 

[AliOop]

That’s so cool - thanks for sharing!

 

[Arimara]

That was interesting.

 

[TashaBird]

I’ve been trying to find more info on the divergence, or emergence, or animal fat soaps vs olive oil. If anyone knows about that history, I’d LOVE to find out!

 

[Arimara]

I would figure people used what was most readily available to them. I'm sure someone in my great grandma's family was making lard soaps if they had a farm. Great grandma herself, not so much. I have to ask Gramma.

 

[GemstonePony]

Don't forget - this soap wasn't likely used for bathing/washing purposes, as per the article.

Oh I'm sure, and considering that until relatively recent history soap was purposefully lye-heavy as a rule, I doubt anyone at that point would have wanted to touch it any more than absolutely necessary. I was mostly thinking along the lines of high oleic oils being high oleic oils then as now.

 

[BattleGnome]

I’ve been trying to find more info on the divergence, or emergence, or animal fat soaps vs olive oil. If anyone knows about that history, I’d LOVE to find out!

i don’t have any sources but I remember reading old wives tales about the origin of soap happening near places of animal sacrifices. No one really cleaned up after burning animal carcasses as sacrifices so the ask/fat mixtures would sit and run off into the rivers after the rain. When clothes would be washed near these locations the water would foam, then good old trial and error to figure out why. I always figured animal fat soaps cake first because of those sacrifices but vegetable fats followed quickly due to local dietary habits.