Archaeologica.org

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 141312.htm

ScienceDaily (Dec. 18, 2009) — The consumption of wild cereals among prehistoric hunters and gatherers appears to be far more ancient than previously thought, according to a University of Calgary archaeologist who has found the oldest example of extensive reliance on cereal and root staples in the diet of early Homo sapiens more than 100,000 years ago.

Interesting find.

This is supposed to be news?

What does the word "gatherers" in the term "hunters and gatherers " refer to?

When I was in sales (the modern hunting and gathering profession) the managers would use the term "harvesting the low hanging fruit"
I meant get the easy stuff first, then go hunting.

Gathering is easier than hunting.

It is finding the "evidence" which is newsworthy. All the logical speculation in the world does archaeologists little good.


Logical speculation is for philosophers.

kbs2244 wrote:Gathering is easier than hunting.

Absolutely. Ancient hominids were gatherers for 95% of their sustenance. Of berries, fruits, roots, and, most of all, seafood. The whole family group, old and young, male and female, could partake in gathering. With little risk. Hunting was a much less efficient way to get food: only adult males could take part. So hunting was a rare occasion: it was very hard and very dangerous work with high risk. I'm convinced they didn't do it if they could avoid it.

So hunting was a rare occasion:

But wait...wait. They wiped out the mammoths in north America, didn't they.

Can't tell me that wasn't a full time job.

Minimalist wrote:

So hunting was a rare occasion:

But wait...wait. They wiped out the mammoths in north America, didn't they.

Did they?
E.P. will disagree.

That's what the Club says.

Hunting was a much less efficient way to get food: only adult males could take part. So hunting was a rare occasion: it was very hard and very dangerous work with high risk.

Do you mean "Hunting Big Game"?

Because hunting small mammals and birds with stones or nets is easy-especially when out gathering.

Sam Salmon wrote:

Hunting was a much less efficient way to get food: only adult males could take part. So hunting was a rare occasion: it was very hard and very dangerous work with high risk.

Do you mean "Hunting Big Game"?

Because hunting small mammals and birds with stones or nets is easy-especially when out gathering.

Is it?
Ever tried to catch a squirrel or a sparrow with your bare hands or a stone (no nets before the holocene!)?
How many months did it take you to catch one?
What did you and your family eat until you did?

(no nets before the holocene!)?

Who says? People who invented boats should be able to invent nets.

Rokcet Scientist wrote:

Sam Salmon wrote:

Hunting was a much less efficient way to get food: only adult males could take part. So hunting was a rare occasion: it was very hard and very dangerous work with high risk.

Do you mean "Hunting Big Game"?

Because hunting small mammals and birds with stones or nets is easy-especially when out gathering.

Is it?
Ever tried to catch a squirrel or a sparrow with your bare hands or a stone (no nets before the holocene!)?
How many months did it take you to catch one?
What did you and your family eat until you did?

I guess that unlike me you grew up in the city, killing a bird or small mammal with a stone is dead easy, I could do it now with the Dark-Eyed Juncos I see outside my window but I'm having fish for lunch and they don't have much meat on them anyway, of course I don't mind killing things nor do I squeal like a little girl when something croaks.

Larger Birds can be tricked by tying a thin cord to a source of food, hiding behind a bush and waiting until they swallow it.

Even today in Canada immigrant kids from developing world countries use the same trick to catch Pigeons and roast them over open fires-much to the horror of municipal authorities.

As to nets every San woman out gathering food carries a net-either for gathering or to use for catching Birds have since the earth cooled-I thought internet experts like you knew that.

There are other ways of killing animals. Snares, dead falls, traps and pits come to mind.
I've just been reading about this chap...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishi

...he could bring down a deer from forty yards!

Roy.

Digit wrote:There are other ways of killing animals. Snares, dead falls, traps and pits come to mind.
I've just been reading about this chap...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishi

...he could bring down a deer from forty yards!

Roy.

Thanks for posting this-I read Ishi in Two Worlds decades ago and remember it well.

Digit wrote:There are other ways of killing animals. Snares, dead falls, traps and pits come to mind.
I've just been reading about this chap...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishi

...he could bring down a deer from forty yards!

He went extinct...

His people were murdered!

Roy.