Two pretzels unearthed during a dig on the banks of the Danube in the German city of Regensburg could be more than 300 years old - and they are little different to the doughy product available today.

Dorothee Ott, spokeswoman for the Bavarian Office for Historical Conservation, said the pretzel fragments have gone on display at the Regensburg Historical Museum.

Ms Ott says the pretzels and other baked goods found were badly burned, which is why they survived the centuries. Archaeologists believe they were discarded from a bakery that was once on the site.

Carbon dating places their creation between 1700 and 1800. Taking into account about 15 per cent shrinkage, Ms Ott said "it's a normal pretzel, maybe a little smaller than today".

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