Variability in the use of caves and rockshelters among ethnographic hunter-gatherers and its archaeological implications

Agnolin, Agustín

doi:10.1016/j.jaa.2021.101359

Cited by 1 publication

(1 citation statement)

References 33 publications

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“…According to Agnolin's review (2021) on cave use in contemporary hunter-gatherer groups, caves in mid and high latitudes rarely have a residential use, with only a couple of semi-sedentary groups occupying them for a prolonged amount of time over the winter season. On the contrary, caves are frequently used for various shortterm and non-residential activities including storage and caching, logistical tasks, and rituals (Agnolin, 2021). Even though we cannot extrapolate modern ethnographic parallels directly to Paleolithic hunter-gatherer societies, we should expect a diverse use of caves by Paleolithic hominins.…”

Section: Methodological Suggestions For Investigating Low-density Sit...mentioning

confidence: 94%

Using Formation Processes to Explore Low-Density Sites and Settlement Patterns: A Case Study from the Swabian Jura

Varis

Miller²,

Toniato³

et al. 2022

J Paleo Arch

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Paleolithic archaeologists often rely on cave and rockshelter sites with rich occupation levels to explore hominin behavior and settlement patterns. However, a closer look into regional occupation data may reveal an uneven distribution of sites and the presence of occupational hiatuses or low-density occupation horizons that often remain understudied. In contrast to this trend, this paper focuses on low-density occupation data to explore regional settlement patterns, using the rich and well-studied Paleolithic record of the Swabian Jura, Germany, as a case study. In this regard, we employ a geoarchaeological approach based on micromorphology to investigate the formation processes of two low-density occupation sites, Schafstall II and Fetzershaldenhöhle, and compare their formation history with the geogenic sequence from Lindenhöhle. We demonstrate that the investigated sites have comparable formation processes, despite their differences in chronology and context. We argue that humans used Schafstall II and Fetzershaldenhöhle for short-term activities, while the sites mostly served as carnivore activity areas, emphasizing the importance of fauna in the accumulation of thick sedimentary sequences. In addition, our findings corroborate the regional climatic record and provide novel insights into the geomorphological history of the less studied Lauchert Valley, where Schafstall II is located. By comparing our results with data from intensively occupied caves in the Swabian Jura, we provide broader implications for the settlement patterns of Upper Paleolithic hunter-gatherers. We conclude with methodological suggestions for investigating sites in hunter-gatherer contexts combining a distributional and a site-specific approach.

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Section: Methodological Suggestions For Investigating Low-density Sit...mentioning

confidence: 94%

Using Formation Processes to Explore Low-Density Sites and Settlement Patterns: A Case Study from the Swabian Jura

Varis

Miller²,

Toniato³

et al. 2022

J Paleo Arch

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Variability in the use of caves and rockshelters among ethnographic hunter-gatherers and its archaeological implications

Cited by 1 publication

References 33 publications

Using Formation Processes to Explore Low-Density Sites and Settlement Patterns: A Case Study from the Swabian Jura

Using Formation Processes to Explore Low-Density Sites and Settlement Patterns: A Case Study from the Swabian Jura

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