A focus on percussion notches to approach the variability of Neanderthal behaviours: the example of Abri du Maras and Saint Marcel cave (Ardèche, France) - Archive ouverte HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Communication Dans Un Congrès Année : 2018

A focus on percussion notches to approach the variability of Neanderthal behaviours: the example of Abri du Maras and Saint Marcel cave (Ardèche, France)

Résumé

The identification of the know-how transmission mechanism and social learning processes within Neandertal group is currently explored in the studies of lithic material, but not only. The patterns of long bone breakage for marrow recovering may represent a useful tool to identify butchery traditions. Identifying and comparing such breakage patterns on a regional scale may permit to discern specific cultural behaviours. The two Neandertal sites of Abri du Maras (sublevels 4.1 and 4.2) and Saint Marcel (units g and h), close together, both spatially and chronologically, reflect a diversity of subsistence patterns. The units g and h of Saint Marcel and the sublevel 4.1 of Abri du Maras present a monospecific spectrum where Cervids are dominant (respectively red deer and reindeer). In the sublevel 4.2 of Abri du Maras,, the species hunted and consumed are the same than in the sublevel 4.1, but large ungulates (bison and horse) are much more represented. We would like to test the presence of butchery tradition within these four bone assemblages in parallel to the subsistence behaviours (hunting and carcass transport strategies). To approach the long bone breakage process, we focus on the location of the percussion marks, taking into account the variability of ungulate sizes and morphologies. The distribution of percussion notches along long bone shafts in the sublevel 4.1 already shows that for reindeer there was no standardized pattern in the breakage process. This comparative analysis may bring new evidences concerning the skills and know-how of the Palaeolithic “butchers” for various archaeological sites and various ungulates at a regional scale.Such analysis, approaching cultural traditions from the study of percussion marks, must be included in a global archaeological research in order to better understand Neandertal behaviours.
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Dates et versions

hal-03937399 , version 1 (13-01-2023)

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Paternité - Pas d'utilisation commerciale

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  • HAL Id : hal-03937399 , version 1

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Delphine Vettese, Daujeard Camille, Borel Antony, Moncel Marie-Hélène. A focus on percussion notches to approach the variability of Neanderthal behaviours: the example of Abri du Maras and Saint Marcel cave (Ardèche, France). UISPP, Jun 2018, Paris, France. ⟨hal-03937399⟩
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