Scientists have found evidence that ancient humans butchered and ate elephants 1.8 million years ago

It's about the tipping point of evolution.

Details

The study was conducted in the Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania, one of the key sites for studying early humans.

Scientists found the remains of an ancient elephant next to stone tools. However, the main evidence was not the cuts on the bones, but their location.

The analysis showed

• the bones were not randomly arranged
• there were a large number of tools nearby
• the long bones were broken in a "fresh" state

Such injuries, according to the researchers, are characteristic of humans, not predators.

In addition, the pattern of bone arrangement was different from the way lions or hyenas, which usually scatter their prey, operate.

This indicates a purposeful cutting of the carcass.

Why it matters

The elephant is a source of a huge amount of food.

Scientists have noted

• one carcass could feed a group of people for weeks
• the fat and meat was high in calories
• it could promote brain growth

Carving these animals also required

• co-operation
• planning
• to protect the prey from predators

This suggests a more complex social organisation than previously thought.

Background

It was previously thought that humans began actively using large animals for food around 1.5 million years ago.

The new study pushes that boundary even further back in time.

Source

The study is based on analysing the location of bones and stone tools in Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. The work is published in the journal eLife (2026).