The discovery of bones and ivory from 400,000 years ago in England demonstrates that ancient people were butchering elephants for food.
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| Archaeologist analyzing elephant tusk. (Image: BBC) |
The remains of an adult elephant surrounded by stone tools were found in Kent. Scientists believe that hunters used these tools to butcher the elephant after killing the animal with wooden spears.
The earliest evidence of this Stone Age period was uncovered during the construction of Southfleet Road in Ebbsfleet, Kent. The excavation revealed the skeleton of an extinct elephant species (Palaeoloxodon antiquus) located at the edge of what used to be a small lake.
Stone tools scattered around indicate that the animal was butchered by an ancient tribe of the time known as Homo heidelbergensis.
“This is the oldest elephant butchery site in England,” stated Francis Wenban-Smith from the University of Southampton. “In fact, this is the only site in England, and it is very rare to find such intact evidence.”
Dr. Wenban-Smith believes that the elephant, which was twice the size of modern elephants, may have been brought down by a group of hunters armed with wooden spears.
“They might have hunted the animal or found it in a wounded state and killed it,” he explained. “They then sought out nearby stone tools, gathered around the animal, butchered it, and brought large cuts of meat back to their camps.”
The elephant may have been consumed raw, as there is no evidence of fire being used for cooking at that time.
These hunter-gatherer residents may have also consumed many other large animal species, as indicated by the bones of bison, rhinoceros, deer, and horses found in the vicinity.
The remains of the animal include parts of the upper body, skull, two forelimbs, tusks, and several teeth, which have been sent to the Natural History Museum for analysis.
