Ancient North Americans are increasingly being portrayed as skilled mammoth hunters. Archaeologists have long questioned whether the Clovis people, who thrived around 13,000 years ago, possessed the expertise and tools to regularly hunt megafauna (SN: 1/11/22). A recent chemical analysis indicates that the Clovis diet was heavily influenced by mammoth, according to a study published December 4 in Science Advances. The debate over whether Clovis people were primarily hunters or foragers has hinged on the location of spearheads, tests of reconstructed spears, and an understanding of modern foraging practices. This new dietary analysis offers direct proof that these ancient individuals likely relied on mammoths as a primary food source, bolstering the argument that they were adept megafauna hunters.
“It wasn’t just a subtle hint of evidence; it was a definitive ‘slap in the face’ of evidence,” remarks archaeologist James Chatters of McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. Chatters and his team, in collaboration with Native American tribes, examined the remains of the only confirmed Clovis individual — an 18-month-old male named Anzick-1 discovered in Montana. The researchers focused on specific isotopes of carbon and nitrogen that accumulate in bones from food consumption. Since the child was likely still nursing, his isotope values mirrored those of his mother, offering insights into her diet.
Determining what the mother ate involved comparing her calculated dietary isotope values with those of potential prey species. The researchers then estimated the contribution of each species to her overall diet. Mammoths accounted for 35 to 40 percent, while elk, bison, and camel contributed significantly less. Small mammals made up only 4 percent of her intake. These percentages do not represent a single meal but rather reflect at least a year of the woman’s diet, as isotopes take time to accumulate in tissues. Given that Clovis people in western North America shared similar behaviors and tools, it is likely that others had similar diets as well, the team suggests.
“This is not just a single site with a single meal of mammoth,” notes coauthor Ben Potter, an archaeologist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “This reflects a cultural tradition of the people.” Other researchers remain cautious. “It’s certainly groundbreaking to find evidence of mammoth in [Clovis] human remains,” which is “a significant discovery,” says anthropologist Vance Holliday of the University of Arizona in Tucson. However, he cautions against making broad assumptions based on a single skeleton. “I’m not sure how you could validate these findings without finding more human remains.”
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