Yes, because it was too expensive, but it has always been a significant dietary compenent. Most people historically have eaten meat when they could get it, and

Yes, because it was too expensive, but it has always been a significant dietary compenent. Most people historically have eaten meat when they could get it, and for most of them the slaughtering of the animals was very few degrees of separation from them. Either they did it themselves, someone in their family did it, someone they directly employed did it or they bought or traded for it directly from someone who did it.