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From: Ray Audette <[log in to unmask]>


The Neolithic Revolution is defined by physiology as much as technology in the 
archaeological record.  Had these people relied on these foods of poor 
nutritional value as a staple, it would have been reflected in their 
bones....... 


One question that has always perplexed me during my cavegirl career  is why 
surviving hunter-gatherers spend so much time processing  starches.  For 
example, the tribes deep in the Amazon use the cassava root as one staple of 
their diet, making the inedible edible, with  daily  grinding, steeping, 
pounding  shredding, drying, and cooking into  a sort of  jungle 
"tortillas"..same goes for certain tree barks.   Even with plentiful monkey, 
river fish, bananas available, the starch takes so much of their time.  Why is 
this?  Native Americans did similarly with nuts, soaking acorns, chestnuts, 
hickories in streams for days to remove tannins.  Then drying and grinding into 
fine powder, and using the nut flour to thicken meat dishes, or make steamed 
"cakes" that were wrapped into leaves and cooked for hours to make a "nut bread" 
of sorts..  Sounds kind of delicous, actually as I'm writing this.......must be 
time for lunch... LOL.

Best,
Batsheva