Stone Age Eating Habits Revealed
What did humans eat before the advent of farming 10,000 years ago? Contrary to the stereotype of meat-heavy diets, new research on the Iberomaurusians, a Paleolithic group in Morocco, suggests plants were their primary protein source. The study, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, analyzed chemical signatures in bones and teeth, revealing a diet rich in wild plants.
A significant discovery
Led by doctoral student Zineb Moubtahij from Géosciences Environnement Toulouse and the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the research showed that these hunter-gatherers included a substantial amount of plant matter in their diet. “Our analysis showed that these hunter-gatherer groups included an important amount of plant matter,” Moubtahij said, altering our understanding of pre-agricultural diets.
Isotope analysis insights
Using stable isotope analysis, scientists identified that plant resources were a significant protein source, comparable to early Levantine farmers. They found a high number of tooth cavities, suggesting the consumption of starchy plants like wild cereals or acorns.
Coauthor Klervia Jaouen noted, “This is likely the first time such a significant plant-based component in a Paleolithic diet has been documented using isotope techniques.” The study found that while not all Iberomaurusians relied primarily on plants, their diet’s plant content challenges previous assumptions about pre-agricultural human diets.
This research is part of a broader trend questioning the meat-centric view of ancient diets. Other studies, including one from January analyzing early Peruvian diets and a 2022 study on Neanderthal cooking, support the idea that ancient humans had diverse and adaptable diets. Smithsonian researcher Briana Pobiner highlighted that previous research often overlooked the importance of plant gathering.
Transition to agriculture
Jaouen’s findings raise questions about why agriculture did not develop simultaneously among different populations. The transition to farming was a complex, local phenomenon, occurring at various times and rates worldwide.
The study underscores the adaptability of human diets and challenges the notion of a meat-heavy Paleolithic diet, influenced by modern dietary trends like the Paleo diet. This evolving understanding of ancient eating habits highlights the importance of plant consumption in human evolution.