Snakes on a plate: Could reptile consumption have freed us to settle down?
Lizards and snakes comprised almost a third of the Natufian diet in northern Israel 15,000 years ago, but that doesn't mean eating them was a choice
During the Early Natufian stage around 15,000 years ago in northern Israel, snakes and legless lizards made up nearly a third of the hunter-gatherer Natufians' diet, according to a study published in PNAS. This significant reptile consumption, identified through marks on bones found at the el-Wad Cave on Israel's Mount Carmel, suggests that the Natufians were not simply eating snakes out of necessity but rather as part of their dietary flexibility.
The researchers from the University of Haifa, Maayan Lev, Mina Weinstein-Evron, and Reuven Yeshurun, propose that this reptile diet may have contributed to the Natufians' decision to settle down instead of continuing their nomadic lifestyle. The Natufians lived in the Levant for 3,000 years before agriculture emerged, and their settlement predates the domestication of animals.
The researchers suggest that the availability of snakes and other reptiles, along with the climate and the local environment, allowed the Natufians to establish permanent settlements. While they primarily hunted gazelles and deer, the consumption of reptiles provided them with an alternative source of protein, making it possible for them to stay in one place and build homes.
The study emphasizes that the el-Wad Cave provides the most detailed record of Natufian culture, including evidence of reptile consumption, and helps to dispel the notion that farming must precede permanent settlement.
Written by urgent.news from Haaretz's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
