Why is baking considered one of the oldest cooking methods?

Baking is considered one of the oldest methods of cooking because it evolved naturally from the earliest processing of cereal grains.12

Early humans initially parched or dry-roasted collected grain seeds to improve their flavor and digestibility. A significant advancement occurred when people began cooking these grains with water to create gruel or porridge. It was a simple, logical step from there to pour a layer of this viscous gruel onto a hot stone, which resulted in the creation of primitive flat bread.2

Over time, these techniques became more sophisticated with the development of enclosed baking utensils and eventually ovens, allowing for the production of thicker loaves and cakes. This transition from basic stone-cooking to controlled, enclosed heat established baking as a foundational culinary practice that has remained a staple of the human diet since prehistoric times.21