The birch tree was of much more use to the people of the Stone Age era then just sweetening chewing gums, for which the Finns introduced it! Yeah, to repeat it, it is Stone Age, I am talking about.
A group of students have discovered a birch-bark tar piece belonging to the Stone Age in western Finland — near Oulu, some 380 miles north of the capital Helsinki — a Stone Age village at the Kierikki Stone Age Center. Found among other artifacts, like dishes and jewelry, it is predicted to belong somewhere between 5,500 and 6,000 years ago.
The people of the era did not just use it for chewing, but also fix their weapons – the broken arrowheads or even clay dishes, as been believed by archaeologists. Though the lump was then used as an ‘antique’ type of chewing gum, its main purpose remained in fixing things.
It was in the 1980s, the ancient Finnish habit of chewing gum surged with its rediscovery by Finnish scientists. With their finding that gum contains xylitol — natural sweetener in plant tissue including birch trees – that prevents decay of tooth, schools there gave away xylitol gum free to children after meals. And, this is how chewing gum has come to stay in your next store with your favorite flavor.
So, next time you buy your favorite chewing gum it would surely be amazing to take a pause to remember its ancient use and the Stone Age people who used it!
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