Scientists have recently uncovered what may be the earliest indication of animal butchering by humans in India.
During the late middle Pleistocene period, around 300,000 to 400,000 years ago, several ancient elephant relatives met their demise near a river in the Kashmir Valley of South Asia. Shortly after their death, these remains were buried under sediment and preserved alongside 87 stone tools believed to have been crafted by early humans.
The elephant fossils were first found in 2000 near Pampore, but until now, researchers had not determined the species of the bones, how they died, or if humans had interacted with them.
A research team, including Advait Jukar, a curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Florida Museum of Natural History, has now released two new studies on the fossils from the Pampore site. In one paper, they present evidence of bone flakes from the elephants, indicating that early humans may have struck these bones to access the marrow, a nutrient-rich fatty substance. This marks the earliest sign of animal butchering in India.
These fossils are notably rare. In the second study, researchers detailed that the bones belonged to an extinct species of elephant known as Palaeoloxodon, which were significantly larger than today’s African elephants. Previously, only one set of Palaeoloxodon bones had been found, making this discovery the most complete set to date.
Currently, only one fossilized hominin—the Narmada human—has been located on the Indian subcontinent. It exhibits a blend of characteristics from both older and more recent hominin species, implying that this region was crucial in the early spread of humans. Before the Narmada fossil was discovered in 1982, paleontologists relied solely on stone tools for clues about early human presence in the area.
“So, who are these hominins? What activities are they engaged in and are they hunting large game?” Jukar questioned. “Now we can confirm that, at least in the Kashmir Valley, these hominins were consuming elephants.”
The stone tools likely used for extracting marrow at the Pampore site were crafted from basalt, a rock source not available locally. Researchers believe these materials were transported from other locations before being shaped at the site. The tools and the site itself are estimated to be 300,000 to 400,000 years old.
Previously, the earliest known evidence of butchering in India had been less than 10,000 years old.
“It’s possible that researchers haven’t searched thoroughly or are sampling in unsuitable locations,” Jukar noted. “As of now, there hasn’t been any direct proof of humans consuming large animals in India.”
Most elephant remains from the Pampore site were traced to one mature male Palaeoloxodon. Analysis of its skull revealed unusual bone growth likely due to a long-standing sinus infection.
While it’s evident that early humans utilized the elephant carcass, there is no direct evidence showing they hunted it, such as spear points found embedded in the bones. The hominins may have either hunted the elephant or discovered it after it died from natural causes. Perhaps the elephant, suffering from its sinus infection, became trapped in the soft sediment near the Jhelum River, where the fossils were eventually located.
The Palaeoloxodon skull is the most intact specimen of this genus found in the Indian subcontinent. Researchers identified it as belonging to the extinct species Palaeoloxodon turkmenicus, which has only been found once before, in a 1955 discovery of a partial skull fragment from Turkmenistan. Although it appeared distinct from other Palaeoloxodon species, there wasn’t enough evidence to confirm it as a separate species.
“The challenge with Palaeoloxodon is that their teeth are often indistinguishable across species. Thus, finding a single tooth doesn’t clarify what species it belongs to,” Jukar explained. “Skull analysis is necessary.”
Fortunately, the Pampore specimen’s hyoid bones—located at the back of the throat that help with tongue movement—were still intact. These bones are fragile but provide significant insights for classification.
Palaeoloxodon first appeared in Africa around a million years ago before spreading into Eurasia. Many of its species are recognized for their uniquely large foreheads, which differ notably from those of any existing elephant species, characterized by a prominent crest over their nostrils. Earlier African species, however, lack this bulge. In contrast, P. turkmenicus exhibits a more developed forehead without a crest.
“This highlights an intermediate stage in Palaeoloxodon evolution,” Jukar said. “This specimen could assist paleontologists in understanding the migration and evolution of the genus.”
Considering that hominins have consumed meat for millions of years, Jukar believes that there are likely many more butchery evidences waiting to be discovered.
“Through my years of work, I’ve learned that significant effort is required to locate these sites, and comprehensive surveying and collecting is necessary,” he stated. “In earlier fossil hunts, people tended to only pick up the notable skulls or limb bones, overlooking shattered bones that could indicate signs of human impact.”
The studies on the stone tool use and elephant butchery were published in Quaternary Science Reviews.
The taxonomy research appeared in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology.
