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Beyond the Problem of Bone Surface Preservation in Taphonomic Studies of Early and Middle Pleistocene Open-Air Sites

  • Identification data

    Identifier: imarina:9243737
    Authors:
    Pineda, AntonioSaladie, Palmira
    Abstract:
    A commonly identified problem in open-air sites is the poor preservation of bone surfaces because of the multiple agents and processes that act on them. In these assemblages, surface modifications of anthropic origin can be scarce or null, and its activity is mainly inferred through the stone tools and evidence of anthropogenic breakage. Carnivore activity is also frequent. La Mina and El Forn (Barranc de la Boella), Isernia La Pineta, and Torralba are open-air assemblages from the Early and Middle Pleistocene that have contributed to our knowledge of the activities that Lower Paleolithic hominins developed in open spaces. These sites show poorly preserved bone surfaces, evidence of carnivore activity, and few indications of human use on the faunal remains, although stone tools recovered are unequivocal sign of a hominin presence at those sites. Here, we present a synthesis of the taphonomic conducted at these sites with the aim of describing how this kind of work can be conducted at Paleolithic open-air sites using several different proxies, considering the limitations commonly identified in assemblages with poorly preserved bone surfaces. The absence or scarcity of cut marks could be related to the poor preservation of the faunal remains. However, it is impossible to affirm that any such marks were originally present, as hominins may have performed activities not linked to animal carcasses. Anatomical profiles have been presented as a useful tool for reconstructing the paleoecological environments and for allowing inferences to be made about the levels of competition among large predators. The assemblages reflect similarities in the deposition type of the remains and the use of these open spaces by hominins at different times during the Lower Paleolithic.
  • Others:

    Author, as appears in the article.: Pineda, Antonio; Saladie, Palmira;
    Department: Història i Història de l'Art
    URV's Author/s: Saladié Ballesté, Palmira
    Keywords: Torralba soria Torralba Qesem cave Orientation patterns Olduvai bed i Lower paleolithic subsistence Lower paleolithic site La pineta molise Isernia la pineta, torralba Isernia la pineta Fontana ranuccio Elephant-carcass Bone surface modifications Barranc de la boella Ambrona spain Acheulean site
    Abstract: A commonly identified problem in open-air sites is the poor preservation of bone surfaces because of the multiple agents and processes that act on them. In these assemblages, surface modifications of anthropic origin can be scarce or null, and its activity is mainly inferred through the stone tools and evidence of anthropogenic breakage. Carnivore activity is also frequent. La Mina and El Forn (Barranc de la Boella), Isernia La Pineta, and Torralba are open-air assemblages from the Early and Middle Pleistocene that have contributed to our knowledge of the activities that Lower Paleolithic hominins developed in open spaces. These sites show poorly preserved bone surfaces, evidence of carnivore activity, and few indications of human use on the faunal remains, although stone tools recovered are unequivocal sign of a hominin presence at those sites. Here, we present a synthesis of the taphonomic conducted at these sites with the aim of describing how this kind of work can be conducted at Paleolithic open-air sites using several different proxies, considering the limitations commonly identified in assemblages with poorly preserved bone surfaces. The absence or scarcity of cut marks could be related to the poor preservation of the faunal remains. However, it is impossible to affirm that any such marks were originally present, as hominins may have performed activities not linked to animal carcasses. Anatomical profiles have been presented as a useful tool for reconstructing the paleoecological environments and for allowing inferences to be made about the levels of competition among large predators. The assemblages reflect similarities in the deposition type of the remains and the use of these open spaces by hominins at different times during the Lower Paleolithic.
    Thematic Areas: Historia Ciencias sociales Ciencias humanas Archeology (arts and humanities) Archeology Archaeology Antropologia / arqueologia Anthropology
    licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
    Author's mail: palmira.saladie@urv.cat
    Author identifier: 0000-0002-1730-8461
    Record's date: 2024-07-27
    Papper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
    Link to the original source: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10816-022-09550-0
    Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
    Papper original source: Journal Of Archaeological Method And Theory. 29 (4): 1090-1130
    APA: Pineda, Antonio; Saladie, Palmira; (2022). Beyond the Problem of Bone Surface Preservation in Taphonomic Studies of Early and Middle Pleistocene Open-Air Sites. Journal Of Archaeological Method And Theory, 29(4), 1090-1130. DOI: 10.1007/s10816-022-09550-0
    Article's DOI: 10.1007/s10816-022-09550-0
    Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
    Journal publication year: 2022
    Publication Type: Journal Publications
  • Keywords:

    Anthropology,Archaeology,Archeology,Archeology (Arts and Humanities)
    Torralba soria
    Torralba
    Qesem cave
    Orientation patterns
    Olduvai bed i
    Lower paleolithic subsistence
    Lower paleolithic site
    La pineta molise
    Isernia la pineta, torralba
    Isernia la pineta
    Fontana ranuccio
    Elephant-carcass
    Bone surface modifications
    Barranc de la boella
    Ambrona spain
    Acheulean site
    Historia
    Ciencias sociales
    Ciencias humanas
    Archeology (arts and humanities)
    Archeology
    Archaeology
    Antropologia / arqueologia
    Anthropology
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