Hunting and Scavenging by Plio-Pleistocene Hominids: Nutritional Constraints, Archaeological Patterns, and Behavioural Implications

Abstract

The subsistence activities and diet of ancient hominids are debated topics, and some researchers have recently questioned the view that meat was a significant dietary component of Plio-Pleistocene hominids. We examine the potential advantages and disadvantages of ungulate utilization by ancient hominids (e.g. Homo habilis and early Homo erectus) with regard to (a) human nutritional constraints, (b) seasonal variations in the physical condition of modern African ungulates, (c) the wild plant food potential of East African environments, and (d) the faunal record from Plio-Pleistocene sites such as FLK Zinjanthropus at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. The different lines of evidence suggest that the subsistence activities of early Homo probably included active, confrontational scavenging to obtain mostly intact carcasses of large animals and some opportunistic hunting of small animals, both of which yielded significant quantities of meat and fat that were an important source of calories, vitamins, and minerals. The possibility of consuming toxic amounts of protein could have been averted by emphasizing the consumption of organ meats and viscera at certain times of the year.