Archaeological digs in Bavaria have unearthed tiny clay pots with teat-like spouts, hinting that prehistoric parents fed their babies animal milk thousands of years ago. Dating back to 1200-450 BC, these vessels—some even shaped like playful animals—suggest that bottle-feeding predates modern times by millennia. These finds, excavated from children’s graves, could explain a Neolithic population surge tied to earlier weaning practices.

The pots, designed for little hands, offer a rare glimpse into ancient caregiving. Chemical traces in three vessels confirm they held milk from cows, goats, or sheep, used for kids aged one to six. Emerging around 5,000 BC, these feeding tools grew common in Europe’s Bronze and Iron Ages, reshaping theories about early human life.