New Study Reveals Stone Age Humans Ate More Plants Than Meat

 

A recent study published in Nature Ecology & Evolution has challenged the long-held stereotype that ancient humans primarily ate meat. Researchers analyzed the remains of a Paleolithic group called the Iberomaurusians, who lived in what is now Morocco between 13,000 and 15,000 years ago, and found that plants were their main source of dietary protein.

The study used stable isotope analysis to examine the diet of the Iberomaurusians. The technique involves analyzing nitrogen and zinc isotopes in collagen and teeth enamel to determine the amount of meat in an ancient diet, while carbon isotopes can reveal whether the main source of protein was meat or fish.

The results showed that the Iberomaurusians obtained a significant amount of their dietary protein from plants, similar to early farmers from the Levant. The study also found a higher number of tooth cavities among the Taforalt specimens than is typically seen with hunter-gatherer remains of that period, suggesting that they consumed "fermentable starchy plants" such as wild cereals or acorns.

The findings challenge the idea that a Stone Age diet was meat-heavy, a notion perpetuated by present-day dietary trends like the Paleo diet. The study's lead author, Zineb Moubtahij, said that the results "change our understanding of the diet of pre-agricultural populations."

The researchers also found evidence of early weaning, with starchy plant foods introduced into an infant's diet before its death at between 6 and 12 months old. This is unusual for hunter-gatherer societies, where extended breast-feeding periods are the norm due to the limited availability of weaning foods.

The study's coauthor, Klervia Jaouen, said that the findings raise questions about how agriculture spread across different regions and populations. The transition to agriculture was a complex process that occurred at different times and proceeded at different rates, in different ways with different foods, in different places.

The study's results are consistent with other recent research that has found that ancient humans ate a more varied diet than previously thought. A study published in January analyzed the remains of 24 early humans from two burial sites in Peru and found that their diets were composed of 80% plant matter and 20% meat.

Another study published in November 2022 found that Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens were sophisticated cooks, combining plant-based ingredients such as wild nuts, peas, vetch, lentils, and wild mustard.

The research suggests that the idea of a meat-heavy Stone Age diet is a stereotype that has been perpetuated by past research and present-day dietary trends. The study's lead author, Zineb Moubtahij, said that "humans are resilient and flexible in their diet habits" and that the study's findings "underline the importance of considering the diversity of human diets in the past."

The study's coauthor, Klervia Jaouen, said that the findings "indicate that several populations at the end of the Paleolithic adopted a diet similar in terms of plant content to that of farmers." The transition to agriculture was a complex process that occurred at different times and proceeded at different rates, in different ways with different foods, in different places.

In conclusion, the study provides new insights into the diets of ancient humans and challenges the stereotype of a meat-heavy Stone Age diet. The findings suggest that plants were a significant source of dietary protein for the Iberomaurusians and that the transition to agriculture was a complex process that occurred at different times and proceeded at different rates, in different ways with different foods, in different places.