The Stonehenge Builders Hated Their Veggies and Ate Mostly Meat

What did the ancient builders of Stonehenge eat and what were their lives like? That's exactly what researchers are finding out after looking at a site that is thought to be the residence for the builders of Stonehenge during the 25^th century BC.

The site that the researchers examined is called Durrington Walls, which is a Late Neolithic monument and settlement site. At the site itself were several hundred fragments of pottery. By analyzing the food residues on these fragments, the scientists could tell what the pots were used for.

Mostly, the pots were used to cook animal products, including pork, beef and dairy. Pottery from ceremonial spaces, though, was predominantly used for dairy.

It's possible that milk, yogurts and cheeses were perceived as fairly exclusive foods only consumed by a select few. It's also possible that milk products, today often regarded as a symbol of purity, were used in public ceremonies.

Surprisingly, there was very little evidence of plant food preparation at any part of the site. Instead, there appears to have been mass animal consumption, particularly of pigs. Further analysis of animal bones also showed the many pigs were killed before reaching their maximum weight. This, in particular, is strong evidence of planned autumn and winter slaughtering and feasting-like consumption.

"Evidence of food-sharing and activity-zoning at Durrington Walls shows a greater degree of culinary organization than was expected for this period of British prehistory," said Oliver Craig, lead author of the new paper, in a news release. "The inhabitants and many visitors to this site possessed a shared understanding of how foods should be prepared, consumed and disposed. This, together with evidence of feasting, suggests Durrington Walls was a well-organized working community."

The findings are published in the journal Antiquity.

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