A stone blade containing traces of rhino residue.
Credit: April Nowell

Archaeologists have discovered a treasure trove of ancient stone tools at a dig near Azraq, Jordan, some of which still contain traces of animal residue. A number of food items on this bona fide paleolithic menu will be familiar to the modern eater, while others, well, not so much.

A new study published in the Journal of Archaeological Science shows that humans who lived during the Middle Pleistocene (781,000 to 126,000 years ago) were highly adaptable and capable of exploiting a wide range of prey, including wild cattle, horses, duck, and even rhinoceros.

Researchers have known for decades that humans and other early two-legged hominins had been making tools to kill and butcher animals for as long as 2.5 million years ago. But now, for the first time ever, a research team led by April Nowell from the University of Victoria has discovered direct evidence pointing to the exact species of animals […]