The Potential for Future Discovery

Reconstructing the behavior of past hominins has numerous limitations. Scientific discovery requires evidence-based research and the paleoanthropological record only preserves fragments of past ways of life. However, the models created here with data collected from extant populations establish hypotheses and predictions for this hominin behavior, which is the important first step in the scientific process. This chapter investigates how future research can inform on the ancient use of insects as food. First, the models presented here were created from currently available data; more research that directly investigates the insect portion of extant diets and increased standardization for the reporting of data will help to refine these data models. Second, numerous analytical methods are available for the reconstruction of past diets and these are explored regarding their potential for informing on hominin use of edible insects. Once the dietary use of insects becomes a more established research focus, evidence will begin revealing itself.