Expert: John Shea - 5/1/2009

Question
Hello,

A zero-carber fanatic has recently claimed, on a forum,  that herbal medicine wasn't used in the Palaeolithic until c.40-60,000 years ago and then only sporadically(he erroneously tries to suggest that this period was the Mesolithic, which of course, only started c.20,000 years ago and later). I pointed out that it's common knowledge that nonsentient animals ranging right up to all the current primates(ie chimps/gorillas/orang-utangs) all routinely practise herbal medicine of a sort to get rid of parasites etc., so that I didn't see any logic to the notion that ancient apemen suddenly gave up the use of herbal medicine as soon as they gained greater brain-size/intelligence only for modern man to again take up the practice. I already have 1 definite study citing use of herbs for medicinal purposes by the Neanderthals c.60,000 years ago but what I really need from you is any reference to scientific data/studies/books showing herbal medicine use at a much later date(ideally the period between c.300,000 years ago to 1.8 million years ago). Any info would be most useful. Thanks,

Geoff

Answer
Hi Geoff
This is a good news/bad news answer.
The good news is that your logic is impeccable -living nonhuman primates, including our nearest relatives self-medicate, so it stands to reason that earlier humans did so, too.
Sadly, we have no proof positive of herbal medicine use by earlier hominins.  Even if we did find plant matter preserved (i.e., carbonized), it would be hard to tell if it was food or fuel for fire or medicinal in nature.
Another point to keep in mind is that herbal medicine is also a human cultural/behavioral universal, something that also suggests it has great antiquity.
Cheers,
John Shea