It was previously believed that during the Middle Pleistocene (about 400,000 years ago), humans exclusively hunted large mammals. However, new research has shown that the diet of ancient humans often included beaver meat.
In a recent study published in the journal Scientific Reports, German and Dutch scientists from Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Leiden University, and the Leibniz Center for Archaeology analyzed the remains of at least 94 beavers that existed 400,000 years ago. The bones of these animals were discovered at the Bilzingsleben site in Germany.
On many of the bones, researchers found traces of cuts, likely made by stone tools. The shape and location of these cuts suggest that ancient humans may have hunted beavers both for their meat and for their pelts.
Why did ancient humans consume beavers?
Most of the beaver remains with signs of cuts belonged to young adult individuals. Humans may have specifically hunted inexperienced but already mature and fat animals. Beavers could also have been killed for castoreum (beaver secretion) — a substance used in traditional medicine and as bait in hunting.
The new study challenges previous notions about the dietary habits of ancient humans. It was once believed that our ancestors had a rather limited diet. Researchers thought they only hunted large animals, such as deer and wild cattle.
According to the authors of the new study, misconceptions may have arisen because the remains of large Pleistocene animals were better preserved and, therefore, subjected to more thorough study than the remains of small animals and plant foods.
Overall, human dietary habits continue to evolve and surprise. For instance, it was recently reported that some schools in Britain have started offering insect dishes to children.
Leave a comment