Credit: Neanderthal Museum
Neanderthals are always presented as big game hunters which they would derive most of their livelihoods. They show little interest or were unable to acquire small game, like fish or birds.
Recent discoveries of cave Bolomor (Spain), Fumane (Italy) and now Payre (France) show that this view is wrong and that this practice of hunting small game and fishing is at least 250 000 years. It has demonstrated that a Franco-American study conducted by Bruce Hardy (1) of Kenyon College (United States) and involving in particular in France, Marie-Hélène Moncel (2), researcher at the laboratory "Natural History of Man prehistoric "(National Museum of Natural History / CNRS). It was recently published in the journal PLoS One.
The site of Payre is an ancient collapsed cave located in the Ardèche. The excavations were conducted from 1990 to 2002 have identified several levels of occupation of the Middle Paleolithic dated between - 250 000 - 125 000 years.
The site of Payre is an ancient collapsed cave located in the Ardèche. The excavations were conducted from 1990 to 2002 have identified several levels of occupation of the Middle Paleolithic dated between - 250 000 - 125 000 years.
A reconstruction of a Neanderthal male from the Neanderthal Museum.
The seasonal occupation of the site occurred during temperate climatic phases.
The archaeological excavation led to the discovery of a wide variety of stone tools, mainly of local flint but also on more distant from houses within a radius of sixty miles, as well as quartz, quartzite, limestone and basalt.
Ungulate bone remains were found in different levels of occupation, mainly large herbivores such as cattle, horses and deer. Observation of the bones reveals streak cutting characteristics of work of their slaughter which confirm that these herbivores were hunted and eaten on the spot by the occupants.
Functional analysis of stone tools, as well as other ancient waste, shows first of all the types of tools were not used for a particular purpose and specialized tools were chosen opportunistically based on the materials to work and shape of their edges. Distinguishing functional tools were used for the treatment of fragile materials such as muscles and skins and others were used to deal with harder materials like bone and wood.
Semi-frontal view of a neanderthal skull from Gibraltar
Traceology Analysis (3) of the 182 artifacts revealed the presence of residues on the surface and varied in the palm of retouching. Residue of tools identified can prove that some edges of tools were used to butcher animals but also were used in tanning hides. Other tools show the work of wood.
The most spectacular discovery, more unexpected is the presence of residues of feathers, fish bones, and starch showing the cutting of birds, fishing and consumption of starchy foods. The remains of birds and fish are fragile, they often retain less than those of big game found in regular searches. The only consideration of archaeological data thus introduces a potential bias in favor of big game that the land residual analysis and Traceology can reveal.
As the results of the Payre site show, all the activities that took place on the site was much larger than expected from studies archaeozoological, and attests to the ability of Neanderthals to adapt to all environments, taking advantage the best potential of their environment. The capture of small prey, such as birds and fish, is often considered evidence of alleged specific cognitive superiority of modern humans. This study shows that Neanderthals were able to exploit a wide range of game. It also provides evidence that the bird hunting and fishing by Neanderthals is very old.
Notes:
1. Bruce Hardy Associate Professor, Dept. of Anthropology, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio
2. Marie-Hélène Moncel, Director of Research, UMR National Museum of Natural History / CNRS 7194 "Natural History of Prehistoric Man"
3. Traceology or functional analysis is a science related to archeology - and in particular to prehistoric archeology - which aims to determine the function of tools for the study of traces produced during use based on examination of polished and stigma of wear, especially at the microscopic level.
Citation: Hardy BL, Moncel MH (2011). Neanderthal Use of Fish, Mammals, Birds, Starchy Plants and Wood 125 - 250.000 Years Ago. PLoS One 6 (8): e23768. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023768
Contacts and sources:
CNRS (Délégation Paris Michel-Ange)As the results of the Payre site show, all the activities that took place on the site was much larger than expected from studies archaeozoological, and attests to the ability of Neanderthals to adapt to all environments, taking advantage the best potential of their environment. The capture of small prey, such as birds and fish, is often considered evidence of alleged specific cognitive superiority of modern humans. This study shows that Neanderthals were able to exploit a wide range of game. It also provides evidence that the bird hunting and fishing by Neanderthals is very old.
Notes:
1. Bruce Hardy Associate Professor, Dept. of Anthropology, Kenyon College, Gambier, Ohio
2. Marie-Hélène Moncel, Director of Research, UMR National Museum of Natural History / CNRS 7194 "Natural History of Prehistoric Man"
3. Traceology or functional analysis is a science related to archeology - and in particular to prehistoric archeology - which aims to determine the function of tools for the study of traces produced during use based on examination of polished and stigma of wear, especially at the microscopic level.
Citation: Hardy BL, Moncel MH (2011). Neanderthal Use of Fish, Mammals, Birds, Starchy Plants and Wood 125 - 250.000 Years Ago. PLoS One 6 (8): e23768. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023768
Contacts and sources:
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