Oldest evidence of animal butchery in India found from extinct elephant fossil

The fossils were first discovered in 2000 near Pampore in the Kashmir Valley, but their significance remained unclear until now.

In Short

• The remains belong to at least three ancient elephants
• Analysis reveals early humans struck the bones to extract marrow
• This discovery pushes back the earliest known evidence of butchery in India

In a groundbreaking discovery, researchers have unearthed the earliest evidence of animal butchery in India, dating back 3,00,000 to 4,00,000 years.

The findings, published in two recent studies, shed light on the activities of early humans in the region and provide valuable insights into an extinct elephant species.

The fossils were first discovered in 2000 near Pampore in the Kashmir Valley, but their significance remained unclear until now.

A team led by Advait Jukar, a curator at the Florida Museum of Natural History, has revealed that the remains belong to at least three ancient elephants of the genus Palaeoloxodon, which were more than twice the size of modern African elephants.

The researchers identified elephant bone flakes at the site, suggesting that early humans struck the bones to extract marrow. This discovery pushes back the earliest known evidence of butchery in India by nearly 2,90,000 years.

Alongside the elephant remains, 87 stone tools were found, likely used for marrow extraction. These tools, made from basalt not native to the area, indicate that early humans transported raw materials to the site for tool-making.

The most complete skull belongs to a mature male Palaeoloxodon turkmenicus, a rare species previously known only from a partial skull fragment found in Turkmenistan. This specimen provides crucial information about the evolution and migration of the Palaeoloxodon genus.

While the evidence clearly shows human exploitation of the elephant carcasses, there are no signs of hunting. The elephants may have died naturally, possibly weakened by chronic sinus infections evident in their skull remains.

This discovery not only provides insights into early human behavior but also fills gaps in our understanding of elephant evolution in South Asia. As Jukar notes, "The specimen could help paleontologists fill in the story of how the genus migrated and evolved".

The findings highlight the need for more comprehensive archaeological surveys in the region. As Jukar suggests, future excavations should focus on collecting all bone fragments, not just intact specimens, to uncover more evidence of early human activity.

These studies, published in Quaternary Science Reviews and the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, mark a significant advancement in our understanding of prehistoric life and human activity in the Indian subcontinent.