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Assessing the subsistence strategies of the earliest North African inhabitants: evidence from the Early Pleistocene site of Ain Boucherit (Algeria)

  • Identification data

    Identifier: imarina:9320747
    Authors:
    Caceres, IsabelChelli Cheheb, Razikavan der Made, JanHarichane, ZoheirBoulaghraief, KamelSahnouni, Mohamed
    Abstract:
    The archaeological data on the earliest hominin behavioral subsistence activities in North Africa are derived primarily from the Early Pleistocene site of Ain Boucherit (northeastern Algeria). Ain Boucherit consists of two archaeological layers, Ain Boucherit Upper (AB-Up) and Ain Boucherit Lower (AB-Lw), estimated to ~ 1.9 Ma and ~ 2.4 Ma, respectively. Cutmarked and hammerstone percussed bones associated with Oldowan stone tools were found in both layers, with AB-Lw yielding the oldest in North Africa. The faunal assemblages from both deposits are dominated by small-sized bovids and equids. Evidence of cutmarks and percussion marks in both assemblages shows that hominins exploited animal carcasses, involving skinning, evisceration and defleshing activities. The evidence of meat and marrow acquisition is more abundant at AB-Lw with carnivore activity being scarce. However, the AB-Up assemblage shows more carnivore damage and less hominin-induced tool marks. Ain Boucherit evidence, is similar, in type and chronology, to that provided by the Early Pleistocene sites in East Africa (e.g., the Gona sites), where the oldest evidence of stone tools used in faunal exploitation have been discovered. This paper reports on the ability of early North African Oldowans to compete successfully for accessing animal resources with other predators.
  • Others:

    Author, as appears in the article.: Caceres, Isabel; Chelli Cheheb, Razika; van der Made, Jan; Harichane, Zoheir; Boulaghraief, Kamel; Sahnouni, Mohamed
    Department: Història i Història de l'Art
    URV's Author/s: Cáceres Cuello de Oro, Isabel
    Keywords: Taphonomy Subsistence activities Percussion marks Oldowan Early pleistocene Cutmarks taphonomy subsistence activities percussion marks oldowan early pleistocene
    Abstract: The archaeological data on the earliest hominin behavioral subsistence activities in North Africa are derived primarily from the Early Pleistocene site of Ain Boucherit (northeastern Algeria). Ain Boucherit consists of two archaeological layers, Ain Boucherit Upper (AB-Up) and Ain Boucherit Lower (AB-Lw), estimated to ~ 1.9 Ma and ~ 2.4 Ma, respectively. Cutmarked and hammerstone percussed bones associated with Oldowan stone tools were found in both layers, with AB-Lw yielding the oldest in North Africa. The faunal assemblages from both deposits are dominated by small-sized bovids and equids. Evidence of cutmarks and percussion marks in both assemblages shows that hominins exploited animal carcasses, involving skinning, evisceration and defleshing activities. The evidence of meat and marrow acquisition is more abundant at AB-Lw with carnivore activity being scarce. However, the AB-Up assemblage shows more carnivore damage and less hominin-induced tool marks. Ain Boucherit evidence, is similar, in type and chronology, to that provided by the Early Pleistocene sites in East Africa (e.g., the Gona sites), where the oldest evidence of stone tools used in faunal exploitation have been discovered. This paper reports on the ability of early North African Oldowans to compete successfully for accessing animal resources with other predators.
    Thematic Areas: Historia Geosciences, multidisciplinary Geociências Ciencias sociales Ciencias humanas Archeology (arts and humanities) Archeology Archaeology Antropologia / arqueologia Antropología Anthropology
    licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
    Author's mail: isabel.caceres@urv.cat
    Author identifier: 0000-0001-8487-2591
    Record's date: 2025-01-08
    Paper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
    Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
    Paper original source: Archaeological And Anthropological Sciences. 15 (6): 87-
    APA: Caceres, Isabel; Chelli Cheheb, Razika; van der Made, Jan; Harichane, Zoheir; Boulaghraief, Kamel; Sahnouni, Mohamed (2023). Assessing the subsistence strategies of the earliest North African inhabitants: evidence from the Early Pleistocene site of Ain Boucherit (Algeria). Archaeological And Anthropological Sciences, 15(6), 87-. DOI: 10.1007/s12520-023-01783-8
    Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
    Journal publication year: 2023
    Publication Type: Journal Publications
  • Keywords:

    Anthropology,Archaeology,Archeology,Archeology (Arts and Humanities),Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
    Taphonomy
    Subsistence activities
    Percussion marks
    Oldowan
    Early pleistocene
    Cutmarks
    taphonomy
    subsistence activities
    percussion marks
    oldowan
    early pleistocene
    Historia
    Geosciences, multidisciplinary
    Geociências
    Ciencias sociales
    Ciencias humanas
    Archeology (arts and humanities)
    Archeology
    Archaeology
    Antropologia / arqueologia
    Antropología
    Anthropology
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