Snake snacks? Hunter-gatherer diets in northern Israel included reptiles, new study suggests

A new study published in PNAS suggests that ancient Natufians in northern Israel, around 15,000 years ago, included reptiles in their diet after establishing permanent settlements. Excavations at the 'el-wad Terrace' site on Mount Carmel, led by Dr. Maayan Lev, uncovered thousands of lizard and snake bones. Researchers identified flint knife incisions on large snake bones, indicating human consumption. Dr. Lev stated, "Lizards and snakes became an important part of their diet during this period." The study found evidence of Natufians eating large whip snakes, eastern Montpellier snakes, and European glass lizards, preferring "relatively large, relatively slow and not dangerous" reptiles. Venomous snakes were rarely caught. The consistent presence of these reptile remains across 20 archaeological layers suggests they were a reliable food source, offering insights into prehistoric human diets before the Neolithic period.