Category: Paleoanthropology

For over 3 million years, hominin ancestors were incorporating meat into their diet, marking a major departure from the mostly plant-based diets of earlier primates. This pivotal dietary shift, evidenced by fossil and archaeological discoveries, sparks the central question: was man born to eat meat, or did our biology simply adapt to an opportunistic food source?

Earliest archaeological evidence from Ethiopia indicates our ancestors were butchering animals with stone tools as far back as 2.6 million years ago. This initial foray into carnivory marks the beginning of the long evolutionary journey to understand when did eating meat become common.

Recent archaeological findings at the site of Gesher Benot Ya’akov suggest early humans were processing and consuming a wide variety of starchy plants as far back as 780,000 years ago. This discovery fundamentally challenges the long-held assumption that prehistoric diets consisted almost exclusively of meat. Far from a meat-only regimen, early hominids developed sophisticated methods for processing and enjoying plant-based foods, fundamentally altering our understanding of human nutrition and evolution.

A 2024 study of Stone Age hunter-gatherers in Morocco revealed that their diet included a surprisingly high proportion of plant matter, challenging the assumption that early humans ate mostly meat. While the 'caveman diet' is often portrayed as carnivore-heavy, the truth about whether early humans ate more meat or plants is far more nuanced and dependent on many factors.

Archaeological evidence, including cut marks on bones and fossilized dental plaque, indicates that early humans consumed raw meat for millions of years before the regular use of fire. So, how were early humans able to eat raw meat without falling gravely ill or lacking the energy needed for survival? The answer lies in a combination of mechanical processing with tools, specific anatomical adaptations, and unique dietary strategies that made a raw diet viable.

The earliest evidence for hominin meat consumption using tools dates back 3.4 million years ago, indicating an important dietary transition. But before this, what were the first foods eaten by humans and their hominid predecessors, and how did these choices shape our evolution?

New research published in *Science* based on fossilized tooth enamel reveals that some of our earliest hominin ancestors, the *Australopithecus*, ate a largely or exclusively plant-based diet. So, were any early humans vegan? The scientific answer requires a closer look at dietary evidence over millions of years of human evolution.

Recent archaeological digs in the Peruvian Andes have revealed that ancient hunter-gatherers' diets may have been up to 80% plant-based, debunking the popular misconception of a universally meat-heavy prehistoric diet. This groundbreaking discovery forces a re-examination of what ancient humans truly ate, moving beyond simplistic 'caveman' assumptions.