<p>Because they largely rely on recent ethnographic data shaped in various ways by processes of colonial expansion, archaeological models of human–animal interactions may miss important dimensions of subsistence variability. When assessed critically, cross-cultural analyses of early accounts by missionaries, explorers, traders, and ethnographers provide a rich framework for expanding these models, yielding valuable insights into foraging behavior during earlier stages of colonial contact and across a broader spectrum of small-scale societies. Drawing on a large sample of ethnohistorical and ethnographic cases (<i>n</i> = 942, including 128 cases published in Russian, French, German, and other non-English languages) from all inhabited continents, this article documents global patterns of animal bone processing and disposal, with particular attention to both practical and spiritual motivations. The analysis indicates that processing activities are primarily governed by practical considerations. In contrast, cultural prescriptions play in certain regions a far more significant role in shaping disposal practices than has generally been appreciated, with bones often burned or discarded off-site for spiritual reasons. The results also draw attention to practices rarely considered in archaeology, such as the widespread consumption of crushed bone from animals as large as deer. Processing accounts further show that fat is widely viewed as a delicacy, especially in soft, low-melting forms. Regional comparisons suggest that widely distributed conceptions regarding animals may have deep roots and were possibly shared by groups that colonized the Americas. Together, these findings underscore how an integrated ethnohistorical and ethnographic perspective can substantially advance archaeological interpretation.</p>