CARNIVORES AT THE STAGE: NEO-TAPHONOMY OF WILD CARNIVORES IN THE PYRENEES (CATALONIA, IBERIAN PENINSULA) AND ITS IMPLEMENTATION ON THE ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF ANCIENT HOMININS

Identifier:  TDX:3365

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX3365

Authors:  Arilla Osuna, Maite

Abstract:
Over the past few decades, carnivores have been under consideration in most works aiming to further explain their role in archaeological faunal assemblages as well as the degree of competence with archaic hominins. The current Doctoral Thesis aims to contribute to the existing gap with new data coming from actualism and neo-taphonomy with the objective of individualizing those predators and finding out diagnostic elements to differentiate them. This research presents the characterization of predator behavior from a taphonomic perspective describing brown bear (Ursus arctos) and red fox (Vulpes vulpes) consumption patterns on ungulate carcasses in the Catalan Pyrenees (Val d’Aran, Pallars Sobirà and Pallars Jussà). The study of the spoil heap of a badger (Meles meles) sett located in a cave-like environment complements this research line. The main goal is to characterize taphonomically these predators and to obtain data in order to differentiate them from each other as well as to establish analogies with Pleistocene faunal assemblages. Simultaneously, short-term campsites and hearth related structures have been set up to determine their potential capacities of alteration/disruption in previously hominin occupied space. Those experiments have been settled in recurrent known transit areas crossed over by these carnivores. With that purpose in mind, data has been collected from observations carried out with photo and video-trap systems together with taphonomic analyses. The results obtained from our methodological proposal have significant archaeological implications and applications. An example of this is the application made to the level 4 faunal assemblage of Toll Cave (Moià, Barcelona, Catalunya), where it has been attempted to identify the actor who produces peeling on the axial elements of Ursus spelaeus using the neo-taphonomic data from the experimental field part of this Doctoral Thesis.