15,000 years ago, humans in Israel were eating snakes and lizards

Ancient human diets have long been a subject of archaeological study, but a recent examination of bones found at el-Wad Terrace on Mount Carmel in Israel has added an unexpected element. For years, the presence of thousands of small reptile bones alongside the remains of hunted animals posed a question: were these snakes and lizards consumed by the people who lived there over 11,000 years ago, or were they simply a result of predator activity?

A detailed analysis of the bones has provided an answer. Archaeologists identified specific marks and patterns of damage that are consistent with human handling and consumption. This evidence strongly suggests that people in the region, belonging to the Natufian communities, incorporated at least some reptiles into their diet.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, focused on nearly 3,000 snake and lizard bones recovered from the el-Wad Terrace site, which was occupied between approximately 15,000 and 11,500 years ago. The sheer volume of these squamate remains, accounting for about a third of the animal bones found, made them a significant focus. However, the small size of many vertebrae, like those from large whip snakes and European glass lizards, made interpretation challenging, as weathering, sediment, fire, and bird of prey digestion can all alter bone surfaces.

To differentiate human activity from natural processes, researchers conducted experiments with modern reptile bones, exposing them to various conditions like weathering, burning, trampling, and digestion by birds of prey. The resulting damage patterns served as a crucial reference. When compared to these experimental models, several vertebrae from large whip snakes at the el-Wad site showed distinct cut marks, providing compelling evidence of human intervention and consumption.

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The evidence points to people in the region eating at least some of the reptiles, adding an unexpected detail to what is known about the diet of the Natufian communities who lived there.