Three millennia of lizard and snake consumption by Natufian foragers

A comprehensive analysis of squamate (lizard and snake) remains from the Nahal Me’arot/Wadi el-Mughara Caves at Mount Carmel reveals that these reptiles formed a substantial and consistent part of Natufian foragers' diet over three millennia. Evidence of butchery on snake vertebrae indicates regular consumption, with shifts in squamate abundance and bone modification patterns correlating to changes in site-use intensity rather than environmental factors. Unlike older Paleolithic sites, Natufian herpetofaunal assemblages show a more abundant, taxonomically stable, and less diverse range of larger-bodied species, suggesting human foraging choices adapted to emerging sedentary lifestyles. The study highlights the resilience of targeted squamate species despite fluctuations in habitation intensity, offering insights into early human impact on local reptile communities.

Lev, M., Weinstein-Evron, M., & Yeshurun, R. (2026). Three millennia of lizard and snake consumption by Natufian foragers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 123(35). https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2609354123