ワイン、塩漬け肉、チーズ…… これらはすべて熟成されると味が素晴らしくなるものばかりだ。しかし、熟成しすぎてしまうのは、いったいどれくらいの期間だろうか?
例えば、そう、340年物はどうだろう？
スウェーデンのイブニング・ポスト紙によると、スウェーデン沖で沈没した歴史的な王室の戦艦「クローナン号」を調査しているダイバーたちは、金貨、ダイヤモンドの指輪、そして強烈な臭いがするチーズと思われる大きな塊を発見した。
ダイバーたちは、海底で黒いブリキの瓶に入った悪臭がひどいチーズを発見した。チーズと酵母菌が腐ったような臭いがするという。
「チーズ」の瓶
ニュースサイト「The Local」によると、カルマル郡博物館の研究者ラーズ・エイナルソン氏は「乳製品じゃないかという推測は、かなり的を射ています。おそらくチーズでしょう」と語った。
「粒状のロックフォール・チーズにも少し似ています。泥の中にずっとあったので、保存状態はかなりいいと思います。とはいっても、それは340年もの間、海底にあったのです。私たちは保存状態が極めて良かったツタンカーメンの埋葬室について話しているんじゃないんですよ」と、エイナルソン氏は言った。
デンマークがオランダと組んでスウェーデンと争ったスコーネ戦争（1675 ―1679年）で、クローナン号は1676年6月1日のエーランド島沖海戦で爆発し、沈没した。800人の兵士が死亡し、生還したのはおよそ40人だった。
沈没したクローナン号で発見された金の指輪
沈没したクローナン号で発見された金貨
研究者たちは、1980年にクローナン号が発見されて以降調査を進め、2万点以上の遺品（遺骨に保存されていた脳組織を含む）を発見してきた。今回発見されたチーズが分析されれば、17世紀の船上での生活はどのようなものであったのか、さらに多くの情報を提供できると研究者は期待している。
うーん……誰かお腹すいている人はいますか？
ハフポストUS版より翻訳・加筆しました。
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