Combine the olive oil, honey, wine and salt in a bowl and whisk until the honey is dissolved. Score the goat or lamb shoulder deeply with a knife and rub the marinade thoroughly into the cuts and over the entire surface. Cover and refrigerate overnight. The wine and honey marinade is consistent with McGovern's chemical findings and produces a significantly more complex flavour than unmarinated meat after barbecuing.

This step is the most historically significant in the recipe and is not optional. The polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons found in the residue are the specific chemical signature of meat cooked over open flame. The Phrygians barbecued the meat before stewing it. Remove the meat from the marinade. Grill over the highest heat you have, charcoal preferred, until deeply charred and caramelised on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes per side. You are building a char, not cooking the meat through. The interior should still be raw at this stage. Remove from the grill and cut the meat off the bone into large rough chunks. Set the bones aside to add to the stew.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until completely softened and beginning to turn golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add the fennel seeds, anise seeds and cumin and cook for one minute until fragrant. The spices should bloom in the oil and become clearly aromatic.

Add the charred meat chunks and any bones to the pot. Pour in the wine and honey and stir to combine, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the rinsed lentils. Pour in enough water or stock to cover everything generously, 2 to 3 cups depending on your pot. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Cover and cook for 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is completely tender and falling apart and the lentils have dissolved into the broth creating a thick, deeply savoury stew. The lentils should not remain distinct. They should break down into the liquid and thicken everything around the meat.

Remove and discard the bones. Taste and adjust salt. The honey should be present as a background sweetness. The anise and fennel should be clearly detectable but integrated rather than dominant.

Serve directly from the pot over flatbread torn into pieces for scooping. The flatbread is both historically appropriate and the best possible vehicle for the broth. Eat with your hands if you want the full experience. The mourners at Gordion used their hands and their bronze bowls. No utensils required.