The tools we use in kitchens today, like mortars and pestles, have ancient counterparts called manos and metates. These stones have been found in various archaeological sites worldwide. A mano is a handheld stone used alongside a metate, which is a flat stone or a groove carved into rock used to grind food from plants and animals. Some of these metates are extremely old, with the oldest dating back around 15,500 years.
Researchers from the Natural History Museum of Utah are exploring these ancient tools to uncover how people once lived and what they ate. They published their findings in a recent article in American Antiquity. Stefania Wilks, an archaeobotanist, explains the significance of studying these tools: "People have lived here for time immemorial and have been processing native plants on ground stone tools for a long time."
Wilks and her colleague, Lisbeth Louderback, are focusing on starch granules found in metates. These tiny structures, which store energy in plants, can only be seen under a microscope. While they can be washed away over time, remnants can still cling to the small cracks in the stone. Wilks shares, "Through their actions of grinding and mashing, people would have forced these starches down deeper into the stone."
Metates come in various shapes; in Utah, they’re often grooved due to the local sandstone. They may not be as visually striking as arrowheads, but they hold valuable clues about ancient diets. For instance, in southern Oregon, metates often appear alongside rock art and significant plant life, especially starchy plants. Researchers once thought these areas were primarily for hunting. Wilks and her team sought to find out if they were also used for processing plants.
To gather data, the team compared residues found on the surface of the metates with those embedded deeper in the stone. They used electric toothbrushes to scrub the surfaces, along with a detergent-like substance to loosen any stuck particles. The results were telling; while the surface samples yielded few starch granules, the depths revealed hundreds.
By carefully studying these starch grains, they could identify plant species. They discovered that various plants were processed, including members of the carrot family, wild grasses, and lilies, many of which are still important food sources for Indigenous people today. Wilks emphasizes the value of starch analysis, noting that many edible plants don’t leave behind artifacts in the archaeological record. This method allows scientists to piece together past diets.
Experts in archaeology and history have noted that this kind of research enhances our understanding of early human life. A report from the World Health Organization underscores the importance of historical dietary practices for current food cultures, showing how ancient food processing methods can inform modern nutrition.
Today, our understanding of these ancient tools is more important than ever as we strive to connect with our history and the diets of our ancestors. The work done by researchers like Wilks and Louderback shines a light on these connections, reminding us of the rich tapestry that is human culinary history.
For more information, you can read their detailed study: Starch Granule Evidence for Biscuitroot (Lomatium spp.) Processing published in American Antiquity.
Check out this related article: Discover How Alien-Like Microbes May Have Created Ancient Tunnels in Solid Rock Millions of Years Ago!
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