400,000 years ago, a new study has shown that “eating beaver” was among the dietary habits of early humans.
A new study of 400,000-year-old bones has revealed that early humans hunted smaller animals such as beavers for food in addition to large mammals.
A new discovery has reshaped our understanding of early human diets and points to a much broader culinary landscape than previously thought. The traditional belief that mid-Pleistocene humans were primarily focused on hunting large mammals has been shaken as new research reveals evidence of an unexpected prey preference: beavers.
Archaeologists at the Bilzingsleben site in Germany made a surprising discovery when they examined the bones of about 94 beavers dating back 400,000 years. Their meticulous examination revealed distinctive cut marks on these bones, indicating the systematic exploitation of beavers by early humans.
“The discovery of cut marks on Paleolithic beaver bones was extremely rare and had previously only been described on isolated bones,” said study co-author Sabine Gaudzinski-Windheuser, emphasizing the importance of this finding.
Detailed analysis of the distribution of these cut marks suggests that ancient humans may have targeted beavers for both their meat and their valuable pelts. These beavers, especially young adults, stored significant amounts of fat, making them an attractive source of food. Their maturity and abundant fat content probably made them ideal targets for hunters and contributed to their systematic consumption.
