A 3,000-year-old honey jar found in Tutankhamun's tomb was still perfectly edible
Some trivia is so bizarre it forces you to rethink your entire understanding of the world. Check out the fact below, see how others reacted, and scroll down to dive into the verified science and history behind it.
When Howard Carter opened Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, among the treasures were sealed pots of honey dating to approximately 1323 BCE — over 3,000 years old. The honey was still edible: properly sealed, low-moisture honey simply cannot support microbial life. Its low water content (below 17%), high acidity (pH 3–4.5), and natural hydrogen peroxide content create an environment where bacteria, mould, and yeast cannot survive. As long as water cannot enter, honey is effectively permanent. This same honey had been sitting in an Egyptian tomb for longer than all of recorded Western history.
The Tutankhamun discovery gives the general honey-never-expires fact a specific, graspable context. A jar of honey that predates ancient Rome by 1,000 years, Greek philosophy by 700 years, and the entire Common Era by 1,300 years — still edible. The timeline makes the chemistry feel visceral.
The Science Behind It
When Howard Carter opened Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, among the treasures were sealed pots of honey dating to approximately 1323 BCE — over 3,000 years old. The honey was still edible: properly sealed, low-moisture honey simply cannot support microbial life. Its low water content (below 17%), high acidity (pH 3–4.5), and natural hydrogen peroxide content create an environment where bacteria, mould, and yeast cannot survive. As long as water cannot enter, honey is effectively permanent. This same honey had been sitting in an Egyptian tomb for longer than all of recorded Western history.
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Sources & Verification
OddlyHuman Editors
VerifiedWritten and fact-checked by the OddlyHuman Behavioral Science Team. We verify all psychological, sociological, and historical claims against peer-reviewed journals, primary sources, and established encyclopedias to bring you accurate insights.
Read our Editorial Guidelines →“A honey jar found in Tutankhamun's tomb (1323 BCE) was still edible when opened in 1922. That honey is older than ancient Rome, Greek philosophy, and the entire Common Era. 🍯👑 #OddlyHuman”