蔚县盆地吉家庄旧石器遗址动物骨骼的埋藏学分析

泥河湾盆地南部蔚县盆地区域的河湖相地层发育良好,并保存有丰富的考古材料与人类活动信息,在研究我国北方中更新世人类演化与行为方面有重要的价值。本文对蔚县盆地吉家庄遗址群4个地点出土的动物遗存进行了初步埋藏学观察与研究。结果显示,A与D地点的动物骨骼数量较少,反映的埋藏信息有限,不作为本文主要讨论对象;E地点出土的部分动物骨骼带有异地埋藏的特点,人类行为信息可能受到干扰,变得模糊;B地点动物化石接近原地埋藏,中更新世古人类应该是该地点动物资源的初级利用者与动物骨骼富集的主要动因。分析表明,B地点古人类于原地对大中型食草动物进行了肢解、割肉与敲骨取髓等多种活动,随后食肉动物又利用了这些动物骨骼的剩余营养成分,但动物骨骼数量与组成说明古人类在此地点的生存活动是短暂且有限的。     

泥河湾盆地马圈沟遗址哺乳动物破碎长骨反映的古人类行为

马圈沟遗址是东北亚地区年代最古老的旧石器时代遗址之一,出土了大量石制品及动物化石,现已发现并确认距今1.76～1.26 Ma之间的17个不同阶段的文化层,为探讨早更新世东北亚地区最早人类的扩散与生存适应方式提供了关键材料。本文以距今1.66 Ma的马圈沟遗址第3文化层2001～2003年出土的大、中型哺乳动物长骨为研究材料,开展骨骼破碎方式的分析。研究表明,这批长骨化石以残段及残片为主,通过对它们的断口形态和质地,特别是破裂断口的角度进行测量、统计以及分析,发现大多数长骨是在新鲜状况下破裂的,而古人类很可能是敲碎骨骼和取食骨髓的主体;食肉类动物也造成了一些骨骼的破裂,但应该发生在古人类的行为之后。本文是首次对中国北方早更新世遗址出土动物骨骼的破碎方式进行的系统分析,为讨论早更新世古人类与食肉类的互动关系提供了新的线索。     

河南灵井许昌人遗址动物骨骼表面人工改造痕迹

河南灵井许昌人遗址发掘出土了距今约10—8万年前的古人类头骨化石, 与头骨化石同层发现的还有大量哺乳动物化石及石制品等文化遗物。本文是对该遗址2005—2006年出土动物化石骨骼表面人工改造痕迹的观察分析结果。灵井遗址中13%的动物骨骼表面有人工切割痕的产生, 其中切割痕位于长骨骨干部位的约占此类标本总数的98.45%; 同时,在具切割痕的长骨类化石材料中,属于食草动物上部和中部肢骨的分别为34%和41%, 属于下部肢骨的则仅为25%。此外, 灵井动物群中具敲击痕、火烧痕迹、人工使用痕迹的骨骼标本分别占全部观察例数的4.2%、1%、1.32%。总之, 通过对动物骨骼表面保留的上述人工改造痕迹的观察与统计分析, 并与埋藏学实验及其他考古遗址相关属性的对比, 表明古人类是这一遗址中大量脊椎动物肉食资源的初级获取者和利用者, 他们是导致这一动物群聚集形成的主要埋藏学因素。同时, 许昌人遗址中大量破碎动物骨骼的出现可能也与古人类敲骨取髓的取食行为有着非常紧密的联系。     

水洞沟遗址第7地点动物化石初步研究

水洞沟遗址第7地点2003~2005年发掘出土动物化石2000余件。初步鉴定包括蒙古野驴(Equus hemionus)、披毛犀(Coelodonta antiquitatis)、普氏原羚(Procapra przewalskii)、水牛(Bubalus sp.)等十多个动物属种。该遗址出土的动物骨骼标本表面少见食肉类啃咬痕迹且未有啮齿类啃咬痕迹及水流磨蚀等现象,表明这一动物骨骼组合应当不是食肉类、啮齿类与水流等自然性营力带入遗址的。遗址动物群中一定比例的具切割痕骨骼标本的出现表明了古人类在动物群富集过程中的主导地位。动物考古学观察表明,处于旧石器时代晚期的该地点古人类主要对遗址附近的大中型食草类动物进行了猎捕与肢解、利用,这与相对更晚阶段的第12地点古人类以小型哺乳动物为主要猎食对象的生存策略形成了较为明显的对比。     

柿子滩遗址第9地点出土的动物烧骨

柿子滩遗址第9地点（S9）位于山西省吉县柏山寺乡高楼河村黄河支流的清水河畔,西距黄河约7 km。从2000年发现至今,该遗址前后历经三次发掘,出土大量细石叶制品、动物化石、数件蚌制品、骨针及磨制石器等。本文重点对S9地点第4 层（12,575-11,600 cal. BP）及第5层（13,000 cal. BP）出土的动物遗存,尤其是其中测量尺寸在2cm以下的大量烧骨进行了埋藏学与动物考古学方面的观察和分析。研究结果显示,S9地点的烧骨是古人类烧烤猎物、维护遗址（甚至可能还包括以骨骼作燃料）等生存行为活动的文化残留。此外,S9地点出土烧骨的空间分布分析表明,古人类在上述行为活动之后,可能又将烧灼后的残存骨骼（与灰烬等）清理出火塘并堆放在其核心生活区的周边位置。     

广西田东中山遗址洞外岩厦出土动物骨骼的初步研究北大核心CSCD

对广西田东中山遗址洞外岩厦出土动物骨骼遗存的研究表明,该批动物遗存至少代表39个属种。中山遗址原始居民以此地作为居住地,会到远处进行狩猎,其生业模式以狩猎为主;对骨骼的利用尚处在初级阶段,未发现精细的加工方式。动物骨骼遗存均来自野生动物,原始居民未开始饲养家畜。当时的中山遗址地处以林缘灌丛、低山森林景观为主的山间盆地中,不远处有成片的草地,并分布着一定面积的水域。这些信息对探讨中国华南地区旧石器时代晚期至新石器时代早期人类的生存行为、生境状况及演化特征等具有重要意义。     

广西田东中山遗址洞外岩厦出土动物骨骼的初步研究

对广西田东中山遗址洞外岩厦出土动物骨骼遗存的研究表明,该批动物遗存至少代表39个属种。中山遗址原始居民以此地作为居住地,会到远处进行狩猎,其生业模式以狩猎为主;对骨骼的利用尚处在初级阶段,未发现精细的加工方式。动物骨骼遗存均来自野生动物,原始居民未开始饲养家畜。当时的中山遗址地处以林缘灌丛、低山森林景观为主的山间盆地中,不远处有成片的草地,并分布着一定面积的水域。这些信息对探讨中国华南地区旧石器时代晚期至新石器时代早期人类的生存行为、生境状况及演化特征等具有重要意义。     

重庆玉米洞遗址发现的骨角牙制品初步研究

在狩猎采集经济的旧石器时代,古人类依赖动物而生存。作为动物资源的副产品,骨角牙制品是古人类对肉食资源深度开发利用的表现。玉米洞遗址是重庆巫山县新发现的一处文化面貌特殊的旧石器时代洞穴遗址,其骨角牙制品颇具特色。本文主要对该遗址的骨角牙制品进行初步的类型学研究,将观察的材料分为骨器(n=104)、骨片(n=2)、骨断块(n=5)、牙器(n=6)和角器(n=3)进行详细记述;同时试图从操作链角度分析该遗址骨角牙制品的制作技术和反映的人类行为,显示出古人类简单粗放、灵活高效的技术特征和生存策略;最后对该遗址出土骨角牙器的时代及古人类行为现代性问题进行了探讨,认为玉米洞的骨角牙器的时代介于中更新世-早全新世,简单加工骨角牙制品与精致加工骨角器之间存在连续或断续的发展演变关系,以骨角器的发现作为衡量中国古人类"行为现代性"的标准需要重新考量。     

浅议古人类活动遗址的动物埋藏学研究方法

随着学科的发展,有关古人类活动遗址的研究手段逐渐多样化,学者们从不同研究视角分别揭示了早期人类对遗址的利用行为。近年来,作为古人类行为研究的重要分支,动物埋藏研究在阐释遗址形成过程及其背后的影响因素方面起到了重要作用。本文简要梳理了对保存有动物遗存的古人类活动遗址进行动物埋藏研究的主要方法和思路,同时,文章介绍了部分动物埋藏的典型模型与经典案例,以此对动物埋藏研究中存在的缺陷与可能的解决方式进行探讨。此外,作者对动物埋藏研究的方法演进进行了简单回顾,为解决遗址中出现的多个埋藏因素相互影响而导致的混乱及重叠现象提供了可供参考的研究思路;在此基础上,结合中国古人类活动遗址的相关研究进展,本文也对中国考古遗址相关研究的思路和方向提出了建议。     

河南灵井许昌人遗址鬣狗粪化石的初步研究

河南灵井许昌人遗址是我国近年来发掘的最为重要的古人类遗址之一。该遗址中出土了大量的石器、骨器、动物化石、粪便化石等遗存以及人类头盖骨化石等。我们对该遗址出土的鬣狗粪化石进行了类型学及其包含的微体化石等方面研究,从分析统计结果来看,鬣狗粪化石中包含了丰富的古信息,如古寄生虫卵、动物毛发、孢粉、植硅体、真菌等。本文主要针对鬣狗粪化石中古寄生虫卵及动物毛发进行分析,探讨了作为寄主鬣狗罹患的寄生虫病,以及鬣狗的食物来源等情况,为深入理解更新世晚期人类适应环境与气候提供新的证据。     

Accumulations osseuses en périphérie de terriers de petits carnivores : les stigmates de prédation et de fréquentation

Faunal remains from spoil heaps of two burrows inhabited by small carnivores (fox and badger) are analysed from a taphonomical point of view. This analysis provides characteristics for bone accumulation produced by small carnivores and will be a powerful tool for deciphering site formation about the occupational alternation of small carnivores and humans. Identified species were grouped by size classes. Faunal spectrum is composed by varied species of microfauna (70%), mesofauna (30%). Macromammal remains are under represented (less than 1%) and come from scavenged carcasses. Predators and consumed species are compared on the basis of the skeletal part representation, age classes and recording of predation marks (gnawed and digested bones). Skeletal part representation shows that all taxons exhibit a low-representation of axial skeleton and autopodial bones. Predators show a high representation of hind limb bones and a low representation of the fore limb bones whereas consumed species exhibit a reverse pattern. Mortality curve analysis provides an attritional profile for carnivores and helps for the establishment of the season of occupation of the burrow. Adults largely dominate consumed species. Moreover, predation marks are found in 1% of the carnivores’ bones and from 15% to more than 40% on prey bones. The large-sized prey bones only wear gnawed marks (20%) and anthropic marks (10–20%) whereas microfaunal remains exhibits more digested marks (40%) than gnawing stigmata (5%). Medium-sized animals bones wear both marks and with the same proportions (10–15%).     

Systematic butchering of fallow deer (Dama) at the early middle Pleistocene Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya'aqov (Israel)

Three assemblages of fallow deer (Dama sp.) bones excavated from the early middle Pleistocene (oxygen isotope stage 18) layers of the Acheulian site of Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, Israel, furnish evidence of systematic and repeated exploitation of complete carcasses by hominins. The excellent state of preservation of the bones and the presence of only minimal signs of carnivore involvement permit an investigation of the role of hominins as the primary agents responsible for the damage to these bones. Hominin expertise in dealing with fallow deer carcasses is manifested by cut marks, percussion marks, and hack marks on the bones. The archaeozoological analysis of the anatomical position and frequency of these marks suggests that carcass processing followed systematic practices that reflect an in-depth knowledge of fallow deer anatomy and a consistent behavioral strategy. These assemblages represent one of the earliest examples of methodological butchering practices in Eurasia. The evidence of carcass processing observed at Gesher Benot Ya'aqov resembles that seen in late Pleistocene sites in Israel, which were inhabited by modern humans. We interpret the Gesher Benot Ya'aqov data as indicating that the Acheulian hunters at the site (1) were proficient communicators and learners and (2) possessed anatomical knowledge, considerable manual skill, impressive technological abilities, and foresight.     

河南新郑黄帝口遗址2009年发掘简报

河南新郑观音寺镇黄帝口是一处旧石器时代晚期遗址。2006年调查发现后经过当年和2009年两次发掘。2009年发掘出土了76件石制品及75件动物化石,分别出自第3、4、5层,其中以第5层的发现居多。石制品原料以石英为主,个体较小, 砸击法与锤击法并用,类型包括石核、石片、石器及断块等。其中石器3件, 分别为刮削器和尖状器。石制品面貌属北方小石器工业传统。动物化石以鹿类、食肉类和啮齿类居多, 其中少数具有人工痕迹。遗物和堆积状况表明, 黄帝口遗址为一处人类的短暂活动场所。     

Rongements sélectifs des os par les porcs-épics et autres rongeurs : cas de la grotte Tianyuan, un site avec des restes humains fossiles récemment découvert près de Zhoukoudian (Choukoutien)

The Tianyuan cave near Zhoukoudian is among the most special localities in North China for its many porcupine gnawing marks on the bones, as is often the case acknowledged only in South China. But porcupines did not gnaw all the bones, that is gnawing is selective. Skulls, mandibles, tooth roots and long bones are frequently gnawed. The short bones are almost free from gnawing. The selection indicates that, for porcupines, bone gnawing is not only a necessity for attrition of incisors, but also a process of extracting nutrients from the marrow. Additionally, the porcupine gnawing marks can also be employed to determine the provenance of the fossils that were discovered by the local people before the systematic excavation. Those bearing porcupine tooth marks only appear in the upper assemblage. The other significance of the gnawing marks is to infer the habitant of the cave. The bones from the human fossil bearing layer have few tooth marks, which may represent a period of human occupation of the cave. In the upper assemblage, the gnawing marks appear frequently, it may indicate that porcupine and other rodents lived in the cave during this time span.     

New estimates of tooth mark and percussion mark frequencies at the FLK Zinj site: the carnivore-hominid-carnivore hypothesis falsified

Traditional interpretations of hominid carcass acquisition strategies revolve around the debate over whether early hominids hunted or scavenged. A popular version of the scavenging scenario is the carnivore-hominid-carnivore hypothesis, which argues that hominids acquired animal resources primarily through passive opportunistic scavenging from felid-defleshed carcasses. Its main empirical support comes from the analysis of tooth mark frequency and distribution at the FLK Zinj site reported by Blumenschine (Blumenschine, 1995, J. Hum. Evol. 29, 21-51), in which it was shown that long bone mid-shafts exhibited a high frequency of tooth marks, only explainable if felids had preceded hominids in carcass defleshing. The present work shows that previous estimates of tooth marks on the FLK Zinj assemblage were artificially high, since natural biochemical marks were mistaken for tooth marks. Revised estimates are similar to those obtained in experiments in which hyenas intervene after humans in bone modification. Furthermore, analyses of percussion marks, notches, and breakage patterns provide data which are best interpreted as the results of hominid activity (hammerstone percussion and marrow extraction), based on experimentally-derived referential frameworks. These multiple lines of evidence support previous analyses of cut marks and their anatomical distribution; all indicate that hominids had early access to fleshed carcasses that were transported, processed, and accumulated at the FLK Zinj site.     

Evidence of early butchery of giant lemurs in Madagascar

We report here definitive evidence of butchery, most probably associated with hunting, of giant extinct lemurs by early human settlers in Madagascar. Specimens of Palaeopropithecus ingens and Pachylemur insignis from two sites in southwestern Madagascar, Taolambiby and Tsirave, show classic signs of butchering. We compared these to the bones (also from Taolambiby) of butchered Propithecus verreauxi, a lemur still living in the region. The characteristics of the tool-induced extinct-lemur bone alterations (sharp cuts and chop marks near joints, oblique cuts along the shafts, spiral fractures, and percussion striae) suggest skinning, disarticulation, and filleting. Conclusive evidence of megafaunal modification by humans in Madagascar was limited previously to a few hippo and elephant bird bones and one extinct aye-aye tooth. New evidence comes not from archaeological sites, but from specimens collected in the early 1900s, without stratigraphic records, at "subfossil" sites (i.e., sites renowned for their late Pleistocene or Holocene fossils, often lacking human artifacts). Whereas these are hardly the most ideal samples for analysis of this kind, careful scrutiny of the characteristics of the cut marks has allowed us to document butchery beyond any reasonable doubt. One bone with definitive cut marks has been dated to the very earliest part of the human period in Madagascar. Continued, careful research on the bones in subfossil collections is warranted.     

Europe's first Upper Pleistocene Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) skeleton from the Koněprusy Caves: a hyena cave prey depot site in the Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic)

One of the Europe's most complete Crocuta crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss 1823) skeletons from the Kon?prusy Caves, Bohemian Karst (Czech Republic) is an older pathological (hindlimb arthritis) and possibly smaller female individual. Few other cannibalistically scavenged hyena remains of older animals demonstrate a ‘small population’ that used the Main Dome area as a den site, which was marked well by faecal pellets. A large amount of megafauna prey was accumulated, and bones were further damaged or cracked. These hyenas hunted Przewalski horses dominantly, as has been documented all over the Bohemian Karst at several Late Pleistocene hyena den caves. The mammoth was mostly absent, instead the woolly rhinoceros was one of the meat colossi with indestructible bones also found in the Main Dome. These are the best indicators for hyena den sites identifications in general. Those massive bones found are left in repeating damaged ways and mainly as shafts and exposed best with bite marks in the bone spongiosa. Rhinoceros carcass body parts were removed by hyenas from the scavenging sites of the nearby surroundings, which they deported to the ‘prey storage den’-type site in the Main Dome area of the Kon?prusy Caves.     

Modern hunting behavior in the early Middle Paleolithic: faunal remains from Misliya Cave, Mount Carmel, Israel

Understanding the behavioral adaptations and subsistence strategies of Middle Paleolithic humans is critical in the debate over the evolution and manifestations of modern human behavior. The study of faunal remains plays a central role in this context. Until now, the majority of Levantine archaeofaunal evidence was derived from late Middle Paleolithic sites. The discovery of faunal remains from Misliya Cave, Mount Carmel, Israel (>200 ka), allowed for detailed taphonomic and zooarchaeological analyses of these early Middle Paleolithic remains. The Misliya Cave faunal assemblage is overwhelmingly dominated by ungulate taxa. The most common prey species is the Mesopotamian fallow deer (Dama mesopotamica), followed closely by the mountain gazelle (Gazella gazella). Some aurochs (Bos primigenius) remains are also present. Small-game species are rare. The fallow deer mortality pattern is dominated by prime-aged individuals. A multivariate taphonomic analysis demonstrates (1) that the assemblage was created solely by humans occupying the cave and was primarily modified by their food-processing activities; and (2) that gazelle carcasses were transported complete to the site, while fallow deer carcasses underwent some field butchery. The new zooarchaeological data from Misliya Cave, particularly the abundance of meat-bearing limb bones displaying filleting cut marks and the acquisition of prime-age prey, demonstrate that early Middle Paleolithic people possessed developed hunting capabilities. Thus, modern large-game hunting, carcass transport, and meat-processing behaviors were already established in the Levant in the early Middle Paleolithic, more than 200 ka ago.     

Mammalian tooth marks on the bones of dinosaurs and other Late Cretaceous vertebrates

Abstract: We describe bones from the Late Cretaceous of Alberta – including bones of large dinosaurs, a femur from the aquatic reptile Champsosaurus, and a dentary from the marsupial Eodelphis– that bear tooth marks made by animals with opposing pairs of teeth. Of the animals known from the Late Cretaceous of North America, only mammals are capable of making such tooth marks. In particular, multituberculates, which have paired upper and lower incisors, are the most likely candidates for the makers of these traces. The traces described here represent the oldest known mammalian tooth marks. Although it is possible that some of these tooth marks represent feeding traces, the tooth marks often penetrate deep into the dense cortices of the bone. This raises the possibility that, much as extant mammals gnaw bone and antler, some Cretaceous mammals may have consumed the bones of dinosaurs and other vertebrates as a source of minerals. However, none of the tooth marks described here resemble the extensive gnaw traces produced by Cenozoic multituberculates or rodents. This suggests that specialized gnawing forms may have been rare or absent in the Late Cretaceous of North America.