Efficiency of gathering and its archaeological implications for an European Early Palaeolithic population

Publication date: March 2017
Source:Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Volume 45
Author(s): O. Prado-Nóvoa, A. Mateos, G. Zorrilla-Revilla, M. Vidal-Cordasco, J. Rodríguez
We evaluate the efficiency of acorn gathering as a foraging method for a middle Pleistocene human population living in mid-latitude European territory. An innovative experimental approach measures how much energy an average female spends gathering nuts in a natural environment, comparing this value with the caloric return of this vegetable resource. The gathering activities were performed by 9 volunteers and showed that gathering 3kg of acorns in 1h represents a moderate activity in energetic terms, consuming not more than 300kcal. Thus, due to their high energetic content, gathering nuts is a highly efficient foraging method. The energetic return obtained by gathering acorns, one of the more abundant nuts in the Mediterranean landscape, is favourably compared with the return provided by hunting. Acorns were a seasonally abundant resource at these ecosystems 300kya and were rich in nutrients and relatively easy to store, making them a highly attractive food for the Palaeolithic inhabitants of this landscape.



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