Did our ancestors hunt mammoths? (2019/2019) by Fanny Le BagousseGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Was mammoth hunting…
A. A rare and dangerous endeavour or B. A common hobby
The correct answer is…
A. A rare and dangerous endeavour
Wool Mammouth (Mammuthus primigenius) #8 (2019-05-21/2019-05-21) by David Huguet/smergcGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
The mammoth was an animal that lived in herds. To attack one of them, people would have had to single out one of the herd, favoring a sick, old, or young individual, and separate it from the rest of the group.
Did our ancestors hunt mammoths? (2019/2019) by Fanny Le BagousseGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Hunting mammoths was therefore very dangerous. Furthermore, if they were successful, storing the meat would have been a challenge too. Out of opportunism, our ancestors likely preferred to eat the meat of any mammoths they found already dead (as carrion).
Were all our ancestors' tools made from flint? (2019/2019) by Fanny Le BagousseGrotte Chauvet - UNESCO World Heritage Site
Let's see if you can answer another prehistory question!
