Archaeological study challenges 'Paleo' diet narrative of ancient hunter–gatherers

A recent archaeological study conducted along the Jordan River's banks, south of northern Israel's Hula Valley, has provided new insights into the dietary habits of early humans, challenging the conventional 'paleo' diet narrative that emphasizes a meat-centric diet. The research indicates that ancient hunter-gatherers heavily relied on plant foods, particularly starchy plants, as a significant energy source.

The study analyzed starch grains approximately 780,000 years old, extracted from basalt tools at an ancient settlement site near Gesher Benot Ya'akov. This site, situated on the shores of the ancient Hula Lake, has yielded extensive evidence, including over 20 layers of settlement, fossilized animal remains, and plant remnants such as seeds and fruits.

Dr Hadar Ahituv, who conducted the research as part of his doctoral thesis at Bar-Ilan University's Martin (Szusz) Department of Land of Israel Studies and Archaeology, stated, "This discovery underscores the importance of plant foods in the evolution of our ancestors. We now understand that early hominids gathered a wide variety of plants year-round, which they processed using tools made from basalt."

The findings suggest that early hominids' diets were not predominantly focused on animal protein but included a diverse range of plant-based foods, such as acorns, cereals, legumes, and aquatic plants. This challenges the popular 'paleo' diet narrative, which often emphasizes meat consumption based on interpretations of animal bones found in archaeological sites. The discovery of starch grains on ancient tools provides new insight into the central role of plants, particularly starchy tubers, nuts, and roots, which are rich in carbohydrates vital for the energy demands of the human brain.

The research also highlights the sophisticated methods early humans employed to process plant materials. The starch grains were found on basalt maces and anvils—tools used to crack and crush plant foods. These tools represent the earliest evidence of human processing of plant foods, indicating that early humans prepared a variety of plants, including acorns, cereals, legumes, and aquatic plants like the yellow water lily and the now-extinct water chestnut.

Additionally, researchers identified microscopic remains such as pollen grains, rodent hair, and feathers, supporting the credibility of the starch findings. This multidisciplinary study involved scholars from multiple institutions, including Professor Nira Alperson-Afil and Dr Yoel Melamed from Bar-Ilan University, Professor Naama Goren-Inbar from the Hebrew University, and Professor Amanda Henry from Leiden University, Netherlands.

These findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that early human diets were more varied and plant-based than previously thought. For instance, other studies analyzing charred food remains and isotopic evidence have similarly revealed that prehistoric humans consumed a variety of plant-based foods, including wild peas and pulses, and employed complex food preparation techniques.

These studies collectively challenge the simplistic view of early human diets as predominantly meat-based and underscore the adaptability and resourcefulness of our ancestors in utilizing a wide range of plant resources for sustenance.