Sequential Incisions on a Cave Bear Bone from the Middle Paleolithic of Pešturina Cave, Serbia

Majkić, Ana; d’Errico, Francesco; Milošević, Stefan; Mihailović, Dušan; Dimitrijević, Vesna

doi:10.1007/s10816-017-9331-5

Cited by 56 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 143 publications

(162 reference statements)

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“…A number of sequentially marked bones, antlers, shells and stones are reported from Middle and Lower Palaeolithic sites [24, [58][59][60][61][62]. Some were reinterpreted as the result of natural processes [63], few were studied in detail and many are unpublished.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From number sense to number symbols. An archaeological perspective

d’Errico

Doyon

Colagé

et al. 2018

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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How and when did hominins move from the numerical cognition that we share with the rest of the animal world to number symbols? Objects with sequential markings have been used to store and retrieve numerical information since the beginning of the European Upper Palaeolithic (42 ka). An increase in the number of markings and complexity of coding is observed towards the end of this period. The application of new analytical techniques to a 44-42 ka old notched baboon fibula from Border Cave, South Africa, shows that notches were added to this bone at different times, suggesting that devices to store numerical information were in use before the Upper Palaeolithic. Analysis of a set of incisions on a 72-60 ka old hyena femur from the Les Pradelles Mousterian site, France, indicates, by comparison with markings produced by modern subjects under similar constraints, that the incisions on the Les Pradelles bone may have been produced to record, in a single session, homologous units of numerical information. This finding supports the view that numerical notations were in use among archaic hominins. Based on these findings, a testable five-stage scenario is proposed to establish how prehistoric cultures have moved from number sense to the use of number symbols.This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The origins of numerical abilities'.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From number sense to number symbols. An archaeological perspective

d’Errico

Doyon

Colagé

et al. 2018

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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“…There is some evidence of Neanderthal exploitation of cave bear remains, for instance at Biache‐Saint‐Vaast (Auguste ), Pešturina Cave (Majkić et al . ), Fumane (Romandini et al . ) and Rio Secco (Romandini et al .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Additive effects of climate change and human hunting explain population decline and extinction in cave bears

Mondanaro

Febbraro

Melchionna

et al. 2019

Boreas

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Cave bears (Ursus spelaeus) are an iconic component of the European late Quaternary Ice Age megafauna. Recent demographic analyses based on cave bear mtDNA sequences and refined radiocarbon dating indicate that cave bear population size and genetic diversity started to decline some 50 kilo years ago (kya). Hence, neither the coldest phase of the last glaciation (started some 24 kya), nor the colonization of Europe by Palaeolithic hunters (started some 45 kya) coincides with the beginning of population decline. Here, we reconstructed cave bear climatic niche evolution through time. Then, we performed spatially explicit population viability analyses to assess cave bear demographics through time in response to climatic changes, human effects on bear survival and their combination. We found that climate change was responsible for a 10‐fold decrease in cave bear population size after 40 kya. However, climate change on its own could not explain U. spelaeus extinction at 24 kya. Additional negative effects consistent with human population expansion are required to explain both U. spelaeus' retreat from eastern Europe since 40 kya and its final extinction.

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“…Multiple lines of evidence—the collection of crystals, fossils and marine shells [36–41], colouring of objects [36, 42–44], burial practices [45–49], engravings on objects and caves walls [50], possible mathematical notations [51], extraction of bird feathers and talons probably for body decorations [15–16, 52–58], the construction of a circular structure from intentionally broken stalagmites [59], and pigment use [60]—including potential abstract depictions on cave walls ([61–63] but see [64–66])—clearly show Neanderthal cultures to equally include symbolic dimension. Attested by a growing body of palaeogenetic evidence, repeated interbreeding between Neanderthals, Denisovans and modern humans left detectable traces in the modern human genome [67–69], phenotype [70] and immune system [71], demonstrating these human populations recognised each other as desirable companions and considered each other and their respective cultures as fundamentally human.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Provenance, modification and use of manganese-rich rocks at Le Moustier (Dordogne, France)

et al. 2019

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The use of colouring materials by Neanderthals has attracted a great deal of attention in recent years. Here we present a taphonomic, technological, chemical-mineralogical and functional analysis of fifty-four manganese rich lumps recovered during past and on-going excavations at the lower rockshelter of Le Moustier (Dordogne, France). We compare compositional data for archaeological specimens with the same information for twelve potential geological sources. Morphometric analysis shows that material from Peyrony’s excavations before the First World War provides a highly biased picture of the importance of these materials for Mousterian groups. These early excavations almost exclusively recovered large modified pieces, while Mn-rich lumps from the on-going excavations predominantly consist of small pieces, only half of which bear traces of modification. We estimate that at least 168 pieces were not recovered during early work at the site. Neanderthals developed a dedicated technology for processing Mn-rich fragments, which involved a variety of tools and motions. Processing techniques were adapted to the size and density of the raw material, and evidence exists for the successive or alternating use of different techniques. Morphological, textural and chemical differences between geological and archaeological samples suggest that Neanderthals did not collect Mn-rich lumps at the outcrops we sampled. The association and variability in Mn, Ni, As, Ba content, compared to that observed at the sampled outcrops, suggests that either the Le Moustier lumps come from a unique source with a broad variation in composition, associating Mn, Ni, As, Ba, or that they were collected at different sources, characterized either by Mn-Ni-As or Mn-Ba. In the latter case, changes in raw material composition across the stratigraphy support the idea that Neanderthal populations bearing different stone tool technologies collected Mn fragments from different outcrops. Our results favour a use of these materials for multiple utilitarian and symbolic purposes.

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Sequential Incisions on a Cave Bear Bone from the Middle Paleolithic of Pešturina Cave, Serbia

Cited by 56 publications

References 143 publications

From number sense to number symbols. An archaeological perspective

From number sense to number symbols. An archaeological perspective

Additive effects of climate change and human hunting explain population decline and extinction in cave bears

Provenance, modification and use of manganese-rich rocks at Le Moustier (Dordogne, France)

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