Human tooth from the Taforalt Cave in Morocco, revealing severe wear and caries. Credit: © Heiko TemmingIsotopic evidence exposes surprising dietary practices of pre-agricultural human groups in Morocco.A brand-new research study analyzes the diet of people connected with the Iberomaurusian culture discovered in the cavern of Taforalt, Morocco. It was carried out by an international group of researchers from limit Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (Leipzig, Germany), Géoscience et Environnement Toulouse (Toulouse, France), and the Institut National des Sciences de lArchéologie et du Patrimoine (Rabat, Morocco). Utilizing an extensive multi-isotopic technique, including zinc and strontium isotope analysis in dental enamel, nitrogen, sulfur, and carbon analysis in collagen, as well as amino acid analysis of faunal and human remains, the researchers exposed surprising insights into ancient dietary practices.Key Findings on Pre-Agricultural DietsThe studys significant conclusions plainly reveal that the diet of these hunter-gatherers included a significant proportion of plants coming from Mediterranean species, predating the advent of farming in the area by several centuries. Archaeobotanical remains found at the website, such as acorns, pine nuts, and wild pulses, further support this concept. The study suggests that plant foods were also presented into infant diet plans and might have served as weaning products for this human population.This finding has significant ramifications, as it recommends the capacity for earlier weaning practices in pre-agricultural neighborhoods compared to formerly believed standards for hunter-gatherer societies.Challenging Previous Dietary AssumptionsThis challenges the dominating notion of a diet heavily based on animal protein among pre-agricultural human groups and raises questions about the lack of agricultural advancement in North Africa at the start of the Holocene.Zineb Moubtahij, very first author of the research study, describes: “Our findings not just provide insights into the dietary practices of pre-agricultural human groups however likewise highlight the complexity of human subsistence techniques in different regions. Understanding these patterns is vital to deciphering the broader story of human evolution.” Innovations in Dietary AnalysisFurthermore, this research study is the very first to use zinc isotopes maintained in enamel to figure out the diet of ancient populations in Africa. North Africa is a key area for the study of human development and modern-day human dispersal. Having a tool that enables us to further check out the human diet plan deep in time in this region will provide valuable insights into human dietary patterns and versatility in various environments.Moving forward, the research study team wants to check out additional Paleolithic websites in North Africa and use ingenious strategies to gain a deeper understanding of ancient dietary practices and their ramifications for human evolution.Reference: “Isotopic evidence of high reliance on plant food among Later Stone Age hunter-gatherers at Taforalt, Morocco” 29 April 2024, Nature Ecology & & Evolution.DOI: 10.1038/ s41559-024-02382-z.
