Edible insects as heritage foods: towards an archaeology of alternative proteins for food sustainability

Insects and their secondary products form a persistent component of human diets from the Palaeolithic onwards, and entomophagy remains a common practice in many parts of the world. Coprolite analysis, biomarker and volatile organic compound (VOC) screening, ceramic and lithic residues, contextual caches, and isotopes provide direct and indirect evidence for entomophagy across diverse settings, supported by ethnographic and textual sources, but are rarely considered in wider archaeological narratives of subsistence. This article makes two arguments. First, the marginal place of insects in many archaeological syntheses reflects taphonomic filters, methodological priorities, and interpretive traditions rather than absence in the past. Second, archaeology is uniquely positioned to reframe insects as heritage foods in contemporary sustainability debates. By demonstrating that Western disgust is historically contingent and translating archaeological findings into accessible encounters, archaeology can help destigmatize entomophagy and support a shift to more diverse, resilient protein systems aligned with sustainable development goals.