Honey-Collecting In Prehistoric West Africa From 3500 Years Ago – Pottery Examined

Nok terracotta figurines. Goethe University

Honey and other bee products were likely a sought-after foodstuff for much of human history, with direct chemical evidence for beeswax identified in prehistoric ceramic vessels from Europe, the Near East and Mediterranean North Africa, from the 7^th millennium BC.

A team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol, with colleagues from Goethe University, Frankfurt, has found the first evidence for ancient honey hunting, locked inside pottery fragments from prehistoric West Africa, dating back some 3,500 years ago.

Honeybees are an iconic species, being the world’s most important pollinator of food crops. Honeybee hive products, including beeswax, honey and pollen, used both for food and medicinal purposes, support livelihoods and provide sources of income for local communities across much of Africa, through both beekeeping and wild harvest.

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Source: https://www.ancientpages.com/2021/04/14/honey-collecting-in-prehistoric-west-africa-from-3500-years-ago-pottery-examined/