Tag: Ancient vegetarianism

Long before modern vegetarianism, a 2025 study on Australopithecus fossils revealed our distant hominin ancestors lived almost entirely on a plant-based diet. Beyond these early origins, several ancient civilizations and philosophical movements incorporated meat-free diets for ethical, spiritual, and philosophical reasons.

While the term 'vegan' was coined in 1944, the practice of avoiding animal products dates back over 2,000 years, driven by philosophical and spiritual beliefs. Were any ancient cultures vegan, or were their traditions more aligned with modern-day vegetarianism?

Archaeological evidence suggests that some human ancestors were primarily herbivores, and excavations in modern-day Morocco uncovered evidence of a largely vegan diet among humans as far back as 15,000 BCE. This reveals that the core principles behind the question, 'How far does veganism go back?' extend far beyond contemporary practice into ancient history.