Meat has dominated the story of human evolution, but processing plant foods was just as vital. Cassava, kidney beans, bitter almonds and cycad seeds are toxic or bitter raw but become safe and edible when pounded, soaked, ground, fermented or cooked. Processing also extends the life of food: drying, salting and smoking allowed people to survive lean seasons and settle harsh regions. Over the last 3 million years, the work of breaking food down moved partly outside the body, and teeth, jaws and faces became smaller. Anthropologist observations among the Pumé of Venezuela show women and children often supplying the dependable daily food, such as tubers, when hunting fails.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.