A Diet of Giants: New Evidence Shows Clovis People Primarily Ate Mammoths
New research reveals fascinating details about the diet of the Clovis people, the ancient ancestors of Native Americans who inhabited North America during the last Ice Age. By analyzing preserved remains, scientists discovered that mammoths made up a significant portion of these hunter-gatherers’ diet.
The study, published in the journal Science Advances, sheds light on long-standing debates amongst researchers who previously relied on indirect evidence such as hunting tools and fossil records to learn about the Clovis people’s food sources.
The groundbreaking evidence came from the skeletal remains of an 18-month-old child buried about 13,0000 years ago near Wilsall, Montana. Using stable isotope analysis, scientists were able to determine the specific foods the child’s mother consumed. By analyzing the chemical variations, called isotopes, in the baby’s teeth, the team found that her diet was nearly 35% mammoth,
"This discovery makes the Clovis people more real to me as folks I could almost interact with directly," said co-lead author James Chatters of McMaster University. "It’s gone from being artifacts in the dirt and animal bones and patterns in the landscape to a group of people I can imagine.”
The analysis revealed a diet that was surprisingly focused. Elk, bison, and camel were also part of the Clovis diet, but represented a smaller portion compared to mammoths. Smaller mammals and plants contributed only minimally. This highly specialized diet offers a glimpse into the way the Clovis people might have existed – travelling vast distances,
presumably following mammoth migration routes. This nomadic lifestyle may explain how these ancient hunter-gatherers were able to rapidly spread across North and South America in just a few hundred years.
However, their reliance on mammoths could have come at a cost. Some researchers believe the hunting pressure could have contributed to the extinction of the woolly mammoth.
“The largest mammoth sites in the USA and Central Europe , the remains of mainly younger animals…possibly the easiest to kill,” explained Gary Haynes of the University of Nevada, who wasn’t involved in the study. “The removal of this generation of animals in North America during a period of critical climate change could have been the main factor that led to mammoth extinction.”
The children’s remains provided invaluable insight into both the dietary habits and possible groupings. It sheds new light on these remarkable people, showing that they lived, thought advisable for that period.
/
## A Diet of Giants: Interview with Dr. Emily Carter
**Host:** Welcome back to the show. Today, we’re diving into a fascinating new discovery about the Clovis people, those early inhabitants of North America. Joining us is Dr. Emily Carter, an archaeologist specializing in the Clovis period. Dr. Carter, thanks for being here.
**Dr. Carter:** Thanks for having me.
**Host:** This new research suggests that mammoths were a staple food source for the Clovis people. Can you tell us more about this surprising finding?
**Dr. Carter:** Absolutely. This research, published in *Science Advances*, is incredibly exciting. For decades, archaeologists have debated about the Clovis people’s diet. Did they focus on mammoths, or were they more opportunistic hunters? This new study provides direct evidence thanks to the skeletal remains of a child buried near Wilsall, Montana, about 13,000 years ago.
**Host:** So, how did scientists determine the child’s mother’s diet?
**Dr. Carter:** They used a technique called stable isotope analysis. Essentially, by analyzing the chemical variations in the child’s bones, they could trace back the specific foods their mother consumed during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The results clearly indicate a heavy reliance on mammoths. [ [1](https://www.sciencenews.org/article/clovis-hunter-stone-points-mammoth-kill-north-america) ]
**Host:** That’s remarkable. Does this change our understanding of Clovis hunting strategies at all?
**Dr. Carter:** It certainly provides further support for the idea that Clovis people were highly skilled mammoth hunters.
While we know they used distinctive spear points called Clovis points, the depth required to kill a mammoth with these points is significant, as highlighted in another recent study. [[1](https://www.sciencenews.org/article/clovis-hunter-stone-points-mammoth-kill-north-america) ]
**Host:** Fascinating. So, this research not only sheds light on the diet of the Clovis people but also reinforces their prowess as mammoth hunters.
**Dr. Carter:** Exactly. It’s a remarkable glimpse into the lives of these ancient Americans.
**Host:** Dr. Emily Carter, thank you so much for sharing your expertise. This is truly groundbreaking news.
**Dr. Carter:** My pleasure.
