Pre Historic Food

When you discuss prehistoric food there it comes clear that it was a very complicated matter. Since humans had no real effective ways to preserve the food they had to live where food was available. Hence many of the so-called hunter-gatherers were nomadic out of necessity. Any time specifications I mention below are very generalizing since development in certain regions has varied a lot.

Collecting berries like buckthorn was important for prehistoric man

Weapons

Exactly when humans started to use more advanced weapons like bow and arrow is unknown, but it had a huge impact. Crude arrowheads 60000 years old have been found in Africa. Spears, traps and fishing tackle also developed over time and became more accurate and efficient. When metal started to be used it helped not only hunting but also food gathering and preparation.

Agriculture

The earliest hunter-gatherer period known as "Paleolithic" got replaced by the "Mesolithic" during which flint tools and simple boats were used. The most important change occurred during the "Neolithic" period - this is when domestication of animals and cultivation of plants start. It was an important step since it meant that humans had more control over their food supply. The average age is believed to have increased a lot. As a direct result of this, you had proper societies forming with villages and simple clan hierarchies. From this moment agriculture was the undisputed dominant occupation all the way until the 19th century and still is the most important in most parts of the world.

The Pre Historic Food

The diet of early man changed with the changes above. For the big part of human history we hunted and collected and was very vulnerable. The agricultarisation led to that we had a ready supply of grains like barley and wheat, which in turn led to the creation of small societies. The first civilizations started to form and the first steps of trade were taken. Better tools and inventions granted that by the end of our prehistory we already had the basis for our modern relationship to the food laid out.