Vertebrate taphonomy

The use of bone surface modifications to model hominid lifeways during the Oldowan

by Charles Egeland

Published in Stone Tools and Fossil Bones: Debates in the Archaeology of Human Origins (M. Dominguez-Rodrigo, Ed). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 80-114.

Carcass processing intensity and cutmark creation: an experimental approach

by Charles Egeland

Cutmarks observed in archaeofaunal assemblages are an important source of evidence in the reconstruction of... more Cutmarks observed in archaeofaunal assemblages are an important source of evidence in the reconstruction of prehistoric butchery strategies. Inherent in these reconstructions is the assumed covariance of the intensity of butchery activities and the resulting cutmarks. This study proposes a simple measure of
processing (butchery) intensity—the number of tool strokes amassed during defleshing activities—in an attempt to test this assumption. Data on this measure of processing intensity were collected during the experimental butchery of 16 appendicular carcass segments from large ungulates. Based on the measure
of processing intensity utilized here, there seems to be no clear-cut relationship between the number of tool strokes and the resulting frequency of cutmarks or the frequency with which specific bone specimen classes are cutmarked. The results presented here have substantial implications for the interpretation of cutmarks and concomitant assessments of prehistoric human diet and subsistence behavior.

Application of return rates to large mammal butchery and transport among hunter-gatherers and its implications for Plio-Pleistocene hominid carcass foraging and site use

by Charles Egeland

Patterns of early hominid site use at Olduvai Gorge

by Charles Egeland

Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, preserves an almost unprecedented record of early hominid biobehavioral evolution. As such,... more Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, preserves an almost unprecedented record of early hominid biobehavioral evolution. As such, it provides a unique opportunity to document spatio-temporal variability in hominid behavior. New taphonomic data reveal that hominids played little or no role in the formation of the faunal assemblages from many of the sites excavated by Mary Leakey from Beds I and II. In fact, the faunas from only two sites, FLK 22 from Bed I and BK from Bed II, can be considered as largely the result of hominid subsistence activities. This finding has important implications for interpretations of the Olduvai lithics and for patterns of hominid subsistence in the paleo-Olduvai basin. Taphonomic proxies of competition also suggest that hominids concentrated their stone-tool-using activities in lower competition settings during Bed I times, while higher competition settings were exploited in greater frequency during Bed II times. The pattern that emerges is one of variability in site use by Plio-Pleistocene hominids in the Olduvai basin.

Taphonomic analysis of a modern spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta) den from Nairobi, Kenya

by Charles Egeland

Bone-crunching carnivores as taphonomic agents: an introduction to a special volume of

by Charles Egeland

Disentangling Early Stone Age palimpsests: determining the functional independence of hominid- and carnivore-derived portions of archaeofaunas

by Charles Egeland

Determining the extent to which hominid- and carnivore-derived components of fossil bone palimpsests formed... more Determining the extent to which hominid- and carnivore-derived components of fossil bone palimpsests formed independently of each other can provide valuable information to paleoanthropologists interested in reconstructing the foraging adaptations of hominids. Because stone tool cutmarks, hammerstone percussion marks, and carnivore tooth marks are usually only imparted on bone during nutrient extraction from a carcass, these bone surface modifications are particularly amenable to the types of analyses that might meet this goal. This study compares the percentage of limb bone specimens that preserve evidence of both hominid- and carnivore-imparted bone damage from actualistic control samples and several Plio-Pleistocene archaeofaunas, including new data from Swartkrans Member 3 (South Africa). We argue that this procedure, which elucidates the degree of hominid-carnivore independence in assemblage formation, will allow researchers to extract for focused analyses high integrity components (hominid and carnivore) from presumably low integrity sites. Comparisons suggest that the hominid- and carnivore-derived components from sites in Olduvai Gorge Bed II (Tanzania), the ST Site Complex at Peninj (Tanzania), and Swartkrans Member 3 formed largely independent of each other, while data from the FLK 22 Zinjanthropus (FLK Zinj) site (Olduvai Gorge Bed I) indicate
significant interdependence in assemblage formation. This contrast suggests that some Early Stone Age assemblages
(e.g., the Olduvai Gorge Bed II sites, the Peninj ST Site Complex, and Swartkrans Member 3) are probably more useful than others (e.g., FLK Zinj) for assessing the maximal carcass-acquiring abilities of early hominids; in such assemblagesas those in the former set, sole hominid-contribution is more confidently discerned and isolated for analysis than in assemblages such as FLK Zinj.

Taphonomic perspectives on hominid site use and foraging strategies during Bed II times at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

by Charles Egeland

The faunal assemblages excavated by Mary Leakey in Bed II of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, have, like the more well-known... more The faunal assemblages excavated by Mary Leakey in Bed II of Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, have, like the more well-known Bed I assemblages, traditionally been interpreted as the result of hominid butchering activities in the lake margin and riverine settings of the paleo-Olduvai Basin. A reexamination of all of
Leakey’s Bed I sites has shown that hominids played little or no role in the formation of all but one of those faunal assemblages, a finding that prompted the reanalysis of the Bed II sites presented here. We expand upon a previous taphonomic study that provided systematic data for HWK East Levels 1–2, MNK
Main, and BK. In addition to these assemblages, we provide data on HWK East Levels 3–5, FC West, TK, and SHK. Our data contradict previous interpretations of MNK Main as a hominid accumulation but uphold the contention that BK represents a primarily hominid accumulation reflecting early access to carcasses. The small and poorly preserved assemblages from FC West and TK are difficult to link unambiguously to either hominids or carnivores. Site MNK Main and HWK East Levels 3–5 appear to be death arenas where carcasses accumulated via natural deaths and/or serial predation. Site SHK is severely biased by selective retention and therefore little can be said of its formational history. Nevertheless,
no hominid modifications were documented in this assemblage. Comparisons with other Olduvai sites indicate a more conspicuous hyena taphonomic signal during Bed II times than Bed I times, which appears to mirror the changing configuration of the large carnivore guild. These findings also beg the
question of what activities were being carried out by hominids with the stone tools discarded at these sites. Although it seems clear that hominids were utilizing stone tools to carry out subsistence activities unrelated to carcass butchery, more excavation and techniques such as phytolith analysis should be
employed to explore alternative explanations.

Taphonomic analyses of titanosaur sauropods from the Neuquén Basin (Argentina) and their implications in systematic studies.

by Bernardo González Riga

González Riga, B.J., Calvo, J.O., and Previtera, E. 2009. Taphonomic analyses of titanosaur sauropods from the Neuquén Basin (Argentina) and their implications in systematic studies. IN: Colectivo Arqueológico y Paleontológico de Salas, C.A.S. (eds.), IV Jornadas Internacionales sobre Paleontología de Dinosaurios y su entorno, 235-241. Burgos, España.

Bone modification and destruction patterns of leporid carcasses by Geoffroy’s cat (Leopardus geoffroyi): An experimental study

by María Clara Alvarez

Broderick, L.G., 2012. Ritualisation (or The Four Fully-Articulated Ungulates of The Apocalypse). In Pluskowski, A. ed. The Ritual Killing and Burial of Animals: European Perspectives. Oxford: Oxbow Books. pp. 22-32

by Lee Broderick

Hallazgo de vertebrados fósiles en la Formación Loncoche, Cretácico Superior de la provincia de Mendoza, Argentina

by Bernardo González Riga

González Riga, B.J. 1999b. Hallazgo de vertebrados fósiles en la Formación Loncoche, Cretácico Superior de la provincia de Mendoza, Argentina. Ameghiniana 36 (4): 401-410.

Primer hallazgo de vertebrados fósiles en la Formación Loncoche (Cretácico Superior) en el área de Calmu-Co, Mendoza, Argentina.

by Bernardo González Riga

Previtera, M.E. y González Riga, B.J. 2008. Primer hallazgo de vertebrados fósiles en la Formación Loncoche (Cretácico Superior) en el área de Calmu-Co, Mendoza, Argentina. Ameghiniana 45 (2): 349-359.

Preservation of large titanosaur sauropods in overbank fluvial facies: A case study in the Cretaceous of Argentina

by Bernardo González Riga

A ceratopsid pelvis with toothmarks from the Upper Cretaceous Kirtland Formation, New Mexico: Evidence of late Campanian tyrannosaurid feeding behavior

by Denver Fowler

FOWLER, D.W. & SULLIVAN, R.M. (2006) New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 35: 127-130

A well-preserved incomplete ceratopsid pelvis from the late Campanian of New Mexico exhibits a number of toothmarks... more A well-preserved incomplete ceratopsid pelvis from the late Campanian of New Mexico exhibits a number of toothmarks attributed to the tyrannosaurid Daspletosaurus. The toothmarks are mostly simple, shallow punctures, but some “puncture and pull” marks are identified, together with possible score marks possibly made by premaxillary teeth. These toothmarks represent scavenging behavior by one or a number of Daspletosaurus. The habits of tyrannosaurids in general are characterized as being opportunistic carnivores specializing in shake-feeding

Taphonomic analysis of the late Early Pleistocene bone remains from Buia (Dandiero Basin, Danakil Depression, Eritrea): evidence for large mammal and …

by Lorenzo Rook

The Early Pleistocene sedimentary succession of the Dandiero (Buia) Basin (Danakil Depression, Eritrea) has preserved... more The Early Pleistocene sedimentary succession of the Dandiero (Buia) Basin (Danakil Depression, Eritrea) has preserved a rich paleontological, paleoanthropological, and archeological record circa one million years old. Fieldwork undertaken between 1995 and 2003 led to the collection of fossil vertebrate remains now stored at the National Museum of Eritrea. Bones were recovered in different localities of the Dandiero Basin, where abundant archaeological and paleontological remains outcrop from the eroded sediments. The faunal collection of 436 animal bones from the Buia Basin, mostly derived from Uadi Aalad area, have undergone taphonomic analysis. Even though bone surfaces are poorly preserved due to abrasion, our work demonstrates carcass exploitation. Some specimens, mostly representing Hippopotamus gorgops and medium- to large-sized bovids, show traces of butchering left by stone tools. We also document, as far as we know for the first time, a single case of butchering involving a femur of a crocodile.

A deposition mechanism for Holocene miring bone deposits, South Island, New Zealand.

by Nic Rawlence

Dodo remains from an in situ context from Mare aux Songes, Mauritius

by Hanneke Meijer

Hanneke J.M. Meijer, Arike Gill, Perry G. B. de Louw, Lars W. Van Den Hoek Ostende, Julian P. Hume and Kenneth F. Rijsdijk

Since 2005, excavations at Mare aux Songes, Mauritius, have revealed the presence of a very rich, ~4,200-year-old... more Since 2005, excavations at Mare aux Songes, Mauritius, have revealed the presence of a very rich, ~4,200-year-old fossil bone bed including dodo (Raphus cucullatus) bones and bone fragments. The recently excavated dodo assemblage comprises at least 17 individuals and is characterised by the presence of small and fragile skeletal elements, a dominance of leg elements and an absence of juveniles. The hydrology of the area suggests that dodos, like many other species, were probably lured to Mare aux Songes by the presence of freshwater during times of drought. The most likely scenario for the origin of the fossil deposit is that animals became trapped in the sediment in repeated miring events, which would favour the conservation of hindlimbs. Such a scenario is fully in accordance with the taphonomic characteristics of the bone assemblage.

Prehistoric seal carcass exploitation at the Shag Mouth site, New Zealand

by Lisa Nagaoka

2006, Journal of Archaeological Science 33:1474-1481

Seal populations in New Zealand declined dramatically during the prehistoric period. The loss of this important... more Seal populations in New Zealand declined dramatically during the prehistoric period. The loss of this important resource significantly affected the foraging practices at the Shag River Mouth site. Previous research documented substantial changes to the diet with the decline of seals and the corresponding decline in foraging efficiency. In this study, I examine how New Zealand foragers altered their use of seal carcasses as the availability of these marine mammals declined. Otariid seal data from the Shag River Mouth site in southern New Zealand are analyzed to test changes in butchery/transport and skeletal element breakage patterns expected with resource depression and declining foraging efficiency. This research shows that at Shag Mouth, seal carcasses were used more intensively over time. However, bone breakage patterns showed little change in the exploitation of within-bone nutrients.

Declining foraging efficiency and moa carcass exploitation in southern New Zealand

by Lisa Nagaoka

2005, Journal of Archaeological Science

The application of foraging theory to understanding carcass exploitation is a relatively recent development. The... more The application of foraging theory to understanding carcass exploitation is a relatively recent development. The methodology developed by archaeological and ethnoarchaeological research on butchery/transport studies has been integrated into a behavioral ecological framework to create models that can be used to understand archaeological carcass exploitation. In this paper, I use such a model to examine how New Zealand foragers altered their use of moa carcasses as the availability of these large birds declined. Moa data from the Shag River Mouth site in southern New Zealand are analyzed to test changes in butchery/transport and skeletal element breakage patterns expected with resource depression and declining foraging efficiency. This research shows that at Shag Mouth, field processing of moas increased and marrow, and possibly grease extraction intensified over time.