Early humans stored bone marrow like tins of soup 400,000 years ago

[Judi Lynn]

‘Bones were used as cans that preserved the bone marrow for a long period until it was time to eat’

Phoebe Weston
Science Correspondent @phoeb0

9 hours ago


Prehistoric humans stored bone marrow in their caves like tins of soup for up to nine weeks before eating it, a new study has found.

Previously, scientists thought Paleolithic people lived a hand-to-mouth existence but this research shows they were sophisticated enough to preserve meat using bones like we use modern-day cans.

The study shows this was happening between 420,000 and 200,000 years ago in Qesem cave near what is now Tel Aviv. It is the earliest evidence of delayed consumption of food in the world, according to the study published in Science Advances.

“The bones were used as ‘cans’ that preserved the bone marrow for a long period until it was time to take off the dry skin, shatter the bone and eat the marrow,” said Professor Ran Barkai from Tel Aviv University, who was involved in the research.

More:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/early-humans-bone-marrow-qesem-cave-prehistoric-a9149221.html

[mitch96]

1. Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't bone marrow kept in bones?

I mean bone marrow is in bones. Not rocket science to keep a bone to suck on the marrow later. The trick, if there was one was how to keep it from rotting? Don't break the bone?
m

[applegrove]

2. I used to love eating marrow from chicken bones. Live in caregiver

taught us kids to eat it.

[JDC]

3. But did they have toast points?

I kid. I love stuff like this. TY

[Demovictory9]

4. interesting

[Collimator]

5. Not one of my classes in Anthropology. . .

. . .ever described hunting and gathering cultures as "living hand to mouth". There were many ways of storing and preserving food available to ancient peoples.

Towards the end of winter, supplies of certain foods may have run low and I am sure that some individual groups dealt with famine and starvation. However, dried grains and fruits and meats did exist as far back as the Paleolithic.