The Middle Pleistocene argali (Ovis ammon antiqua) assemblages at the Caune de l'Arago (Tautavel, Pyrénées-Orientales, France): were prehistoric hunters or carnivores responsible for their accumulation?

Abstract

The argali (Ovis ammon antiqua) assemblages from the Middle Pleistocene site of the Caune de l'Arago (Tautavel, southern France) were studied in terms of zooarchaeology and taphonomy. It is possible to discern palaeobiological information lost during fossilisation, as well as the palaeoethology of the bone collector, by the observation of taphonomic details preserved on the bone assemblages. The observations leave no doubt that both humans and carnivores were involved in the accumulation of argali carcasses in the cave. In some assemblages, the type of bones found in articulation and the gnawing marks observed are characteristic of carnivores. In other levels, the intense fracturing of the major limb bones in relation to their marrow content and mineral density, and butchering marks found on specimens in the earlier levels, are in favour of human accumulation, the modalities of which are discussed. The results suggest that the degree of carnivore activity seems to have been higher in levels M, N and O than in level F.

Rhinoceros (Stephanorhinus hemitoechus) exploitation in Level F at the Caune de l'Arago (Tautavel, Pyrénéés‐Orientales, France) during MIS 12

“…The lateral epicondyle of the humerus presents a semirounded pit; the fibula shows some chewing scores on the distal end. On the argali remains from Arago F, carnivore marks account for 1% of NISP, but 17.6% in Levels M, N, and O, when bears and canids are the main accumulators in this cave (Rivals et al, ). In sum, nonhuman modification is limited during the formation of the Arago F bone assemblage.…”

“…The area with the most percussion activity seems to be in the centre of the cave, and the large fragments are scattered towards the walls of the cave. Generally, the distribution of rhinoceros and the distribution of argali remains are superposed in the same level (Rivals et al, ).…”

“…This point supports the active scavenging of carcasses of animals that died naturally. Nevertheless, the occasional opportunistic hunting could not be ruled out completely, when it was proposed to explain the Argali population (Rivals et al, ) and horse population from the same level (Bellai, ).…”

“…A total of 423 rhinoceros specimens were identified, according to the diagnoses proposed by Lacombat (). Hominin occupation of Level F was recurrent and seasonal, indicated by the continuous proportion of faunal species and lithics in the three sublevels (Rivals et al, ). Hominin remains correspond to at least one child and one young adult based on the naturally shed deciduous teeth.…”

“…Caune de l'Arago long has been an important site for the construction of hominid behaviour of European Acheulean culture during MIS 14–12 (de Lumley, de Lumley, Merle des Iles, Moigne, & Perrenoud, ). Throughout the stratigraphy, eight large mammals were exploited and, in particular, horses (Bellai, ), argali ( Ovis ammon antiqua ; Moigne et al, ; Rivals, Testu, Moigne, & de Lumley, ), and beavers ( Castor fiber ; Lebreton, Moigne, Filoux, & Perrenoud, ) reveal clear evidence of hominid butchering of a variety of taxa. Hunting was demonstrated clearly for cervids, bovids, and equids (Moigne, ).…”