What did people eat before agriculture? A groundbreaking study conducted by an international team of scientists has shed new light on the dietary habits of pre-agricultural human groups.
Contrary to long-held beliefs about a meat-heavy diet, compelling isotopic evidence suggests that 15,000-year-old hunter-gatherers from Morocco had a significant preference for plant-based foods.
What did people eat before agriculture?
Led by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Géoscience et Environnement Toulouse, and the Institut National des Sciences de l’Archéologie et du Patrimoine, the study focused on individuals associated with the Iberomaurusian culture found in the Taforalt Cave, Morocco.
Through a comprehensive multi-isotopic approach, including zinc and strontium analysis in dental enamel, carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur analysis in collagen, and amino acid analysis of human and faunal remains, the team uncovered surprising revelations about ancient dietary practices.
Plant-Based Diet Predating Agriculture:
Contrary to previous assumptions, the study’s major findings indicate that the diet of these ancient hunter-gatherers included a substantial proportion of plants, particularly Mediterranean species such as acorns, pine nuts, and wild pulses.
This challenges the prevailing notion of a diet heavily reliant on animal protein among pre-agricultural human groups.
Implications for Weaning Practices:
One of the most significant findings of the study is the presence of plant foods in infant diets, suggesting that they may have served as weaning products for this ancient population.
This discovery challenges previous norms regarding weaning practices in hunter-gatherer societies and highlights the complexity of human subsistence strategies in different regions.
Advancements in Isotopic Analysis:
The study also marks a milestone in African archaeology by being the first to utilize zinc isotopes preserved in enamel to determine ancient populations’ diets.
This innovative approach provides valuable insights into human dietary patterns and adaptability in diverse environments, particularly in North Africa, a key region for the study of human evolution and modern human dispersal.
Future study:
The research team aims to explore additional Paleolithic sites in North Africa and employ innovative techniques to gain a deeper understanding of ancient dietary practices and their implications for human evolution.
