Journal
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
Volume 59, Issue -, Pages 35-53Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.jas.2015.04.007
Keywords
Bone damage patterns; Tooth marks; Taphonomy; Olduvai; BK; FLK N; Correspondence analysis
Funding
- Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness [HAR2013-45246-C3-1-P]
- Ministry of Culture
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Here we present a new analytical method that classifies bone damage patterns objectively and mathematically via a morphotypic definition (taphotype) of each long limb element and a bootstrapped correspondence analysis. This enables statistically-based classification and interpretations. The accuracy of these interpretations depends on the accuracy of the analogical frameworks applied. The new method shows that bone damage patterns differ according to carcass type and size. They also differ depending on environmental conditions (captive and wild carnivores). The method is also useful to detect the type of carnivores involved in the modification of epiphyseal portions. This opens the door to interpretations of hominin-carnivore interactions and the resulting strategies of carcass acquisition strategies by hominins. The application of the method to a sample of epiphyseal portions from two archaeological sites from Olduvai Gorge (BK and FLK N) shows its potential resolution. BK has been previously interpreted as a hominin-carnivore assemblage, whereas FLK N has been interpreted as a felid-accumulated assemblage. The new method confirms these interpretations. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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