The Paleoanthropology and Archaeology of Big-Game Hunting Protein, Fat, or Politics? /

Since its inception, paleoanthropology has been closely wedded to the idea that big-game hunting by our hominin ancestors arose, first and foremost, as a means for acquiring energy and vital nutrients. This assumption has rarely been questioned, and seems intuitively obviousmeat is a nutrient-rich...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Speth, John D. (Author)
Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
Format: Electronic
Language:English
Published: New York, NY : Springer New York : Imprint: Springer, 2010.
Series:Interdisciplinary Contributions to Archaeology,
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ezaccess.library.uitm.edu.my/login?url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-6733-6
Description
Summary:Since its inception, paleoanthropology has been closely wedded to the idea that big-game hunting by our hominin ancestors arose, first and foremost, as a means for acquiring energy and vital nutrients. This assumption has rarely been questioned, and seems intuitively obviousmeat is a nutrient-rich food with the ideal array of amino acids, and big animals provide meat in large, convenient packages. Through new research, the author of this volume provides a strong argument that the primary goals of big-game hunting were actually social and politicalincreasing hunters prestige and standingand that the nutritional component was just an added bonus. Through a comprehensive, interdisciplinary research approach, the author examines the historical and current perceptions of protein as an important nutrient source, the biological impact of a high-protein diet and the evidence of this in the archaeological record, and provides a compelling reexamination of this long-held conclusion. This volume will be of interest to researchers in Archaeology, Evolutionary Biology, and Paleoanthropology, particularly those studying diet and nutrition.
Physical Description:XXXIII, 233 p. 20 illus. online resource.
ISBN:9781441967336
ISSN:1568-2722