An iberian perspective on upper paleolithic plant consumption

Abstract

David Clarke, in his essay "mesolithic Europe: the economic basis" (1976), challenged the " meat fixation" of archaeologists and highlighted the potential for intensive plant use in Europe prior to the introduction of agriculture. He argued that plants likely made up 60-80% of the diet of prehistoric hunter-gatherers in Europe. Indeed,ethnographically known hunter-gatheres in temperate regions incororate such percentages of plants in their diet (Kelly, 1995). The only area where meat completely dominates is the Artic, where the lack of edible plants during much of the year leaves little choice. Even in this extreme, people are known to eat the contents of reindeer stomachs and exchange meatfor seaweed with coastal peoples (Clark, 1952).