Museum Curator Creates Cuneiform Cookies Blending Ancient Script with Baking

Katherine Blanchard, the Fowler/Van Santvoord Keeper of Collections for the Near East Section, has developed a recipe for cookies that replicate ancient cuneiform tablets. This culinary project, which was featured in The New York Times, transforms the 5,000-year-old Sumerian writing system into edible form. The initiative represents an archaeo-culinary trend that makes historical artifacts accessible through baking. The cookies serve as educational tools and creative activities, allowing participants to inscribe symbols on dough before baking at 350 degrees. This approach provides a tangible connection to ancient communication methods while offering a hands-on historical experience.