Since When Have Humans Eaten Sharks?

Since when have humans eaten sharks? The question reaches back thousands of years, into early coastal communities that depended heavily on marine resources for survival. Archaeological evidence now suggests that shark consumption is not a modern phenomenon, but part of human subsistence strategies dating to the Neolithic period.

A study titled The first collective Neolithic megalithic tomb in Oman, published in the journal Antiquity in 2025, revealed significant findings from a collective burial site in Wadi Nafūn, Oman. The research, led by archaeologist Alžběta Danielisová along with an international team including Jiří Šneberger, examined burial practices and dietary patterns of coastal populations living in the fifth to fourth millennium BCE.

Researchers analyzed stable isotopes in tooth enamel from individuals buried at the site. The results showed elevated nitrogen values consistent with diets rich in high-trophic marine protein — potentially including sharks and other large predatory fish.

The team wrote that the findings indicate a strong reliance on marine resources. According to the study, these Neolithic communities possessed maritime knowledge and fishing capabilities advanced enough to exploit large marine fauna, not merely shellfish or small coastal fish.

Southeast Asia and Shark-Tooth Technology

Human interaction with sharks is also documented in Southeast Asia. A study titled Shark-tooth artefacts from middle Holocene Sulawesi, published in Antiquity in October 2023, found that prehistoric communities in South Sulawesi used shark teeth as tools.

Led by researcher Michelle C. Langley and Indonesian and Australian colleagues, the study documented modified shark teeth fashioned into sharp blades and attached to handles using natural adhesives. The artifacts are associated with the Toalean culture, which lived between roughly 7,000 and 5,000 years ago.

Langley noted that the tools demonstrate sophisticated technical knowledge in working marine materials. While the study focused on technological and symbolic use rather than diet directly, it illustrates how closely prehistoric societies engaged with sharks as part of their environment.

Together, the evidence from Oman and Sulawesi suggests sharks were neither rare nor incidental in ancient coastal life. They were captured, processed and integrated into daily survival and cultural practices.

Much Earlier Marine Exploitation in Africa

Human reliance on marine ecosystems stretches even further back. A landmark study titled Marine resource use during the Middle Stone Age at Pinnacle Point, South Africa, published in Nature in 2007, demonstrated that early modern humans were exploiting marine resources as early as 160,000 years ago.

Excavations at Pinnacle Point revealed systematic harvesting of shellfish and other coastal resources. Although the research did not focus specifically on shark consumption, it established that Homo sapiens had developed sophisticated strategies for using marine environments long before the Neolithic.

Researchers concluded that access to marine protein may have played a critical role in human cognitive development. Nutrient-rich seafood sources are believed to have supported brain growth and population resilience during periods of climatic instability.

While direct evidence of shark consumption becomes clearer in later periods such as Neolithic Oman, Africa provides proof that human adaptation to marine ecosystems is deeply rooted in evolutionary history.

From Subsistence to Industrial Exploitation

In prehistoric times, human populations were small and fishing technology was limited. Shark exploitation, where it occurred, likely remained sustainable due to low hunting pressure and localized practices.

The situation changed dramatically in the 20th century. Industrialized fishing fleets, global trade networks and growing demand for shark products — especially shark fins — accelerated large-scale harvesting. Many shark species grow slowly, mature late and reproduce infrequently, making them particularly vulnerable to overfishing.

Several shark species are now protected under international trade regulations through CITES, which restricts cross-border commerce of threatened wildlife. The goal is to reduce unsustainable exploitation driven by global markets.

The practice of “finning” — removing shark fins and discarding the body at sea — has been banned in many countries due to ethical concerns and its devastating ecological impact.

Unlike Neolithic societies, which relied on sharks as part of small-scale subsistence systems, many countries today impose restrictions or outright bans on catching and consuming certain shark species.

These policies are not intended simply to eliminate tradition, but to preserve marine ecosystems. Sharks function as apex predators, regulating the balance of marine food webs. Significant declines in shark populations can trigger cascading ecological effects, including overpopulation of mid-level predators and damage to coral reef systems.

Conservation organizations report that global shark populations have declined sharply in recent decades due to overfishing. Without strong regulation, some species face the risk of extinction.

The contrast between ancient and modern contexts is striking. Archaeological evidence shows that humans have interacted with and likely eaten sharks for thousands of years. Yet in prehistoric times, exploitation occurred at a scale that did not threaten global populations. Today, industrial fishing exerts pressure at a planetary level.

The historical record demonstrates a long and complex relationship between humans and sharks. The more pressing question now is not when shark consumption began, but how humanity will manage that relationship in an era defined by ecological limits.

As research continues to illuminate the deep past, modern policy decisions will determine whether sharks remain a living part of marine ecosystems — or become another casualty of unsustainable human demand. (Wage Erlangga)