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Studying bone surface modifications (BSMs) in neotaphonomic research is an important aid to reconstruct agency in the archaeological and palaeontological record. The significance of correctly identifying BSMs has led to extensive debates about adequate methodological and interpretive frameworks to identify taphonomic agents and their bone-modifying patterns in dynamic taphonomic processes; especially those involving inter-agency interactions. Recent analytical innovations in the field have given rise to more updated and less biasing methods, including those rooted in multivariate statistics and artificial intelligence algorithms. Among the latter, convolutional neural networks have demonstrated a substantial potential in precision in the identification and characterization of BSMs. In this study, we present a successful application of these methods to reconstructing taphonomic agency in an archaeological context, specifically in Unit 2 of Tritons Cave (Lleida, Spain). Previous interpretations of this palaeontological layer suggested that it was a natural palimpsest created by carnivores, namely leopards. Through the present research, we objectively tested the original felid-accumulation hypothesis associated with the site’s original taphonomic analysis. Our findings provide additional evidence of the primary leopard agency in the formation of the assemblage and underscores the significant potential of transfer learning for identifying taxon-specific carnivore agency.

Dietary reconstructions based on dental microwear methodologies may be limited due to the various taphonomic processes that affect the formation of archaeological deposits. These limitations are primarily affected by two issues: 1) taphonomic alterations occurring over dental microwear patterns which mimic dietary signals and can lead to confusion in quantifying these signals, and 2) the exclusion of teeth due to structural damage caused by taphonomic processes, resulting in a reduction of the sample size. Thus, it is necessary to understand how taphonomic processes impact teeth to avoid biases in dietary reconstructions and improve the validity of their interpretations. Under these considerations, we conducted two experiments: one involving the simulation of sediment pressure, and the other focusing on thermal alterations. A hydraulic press and a muffle furnace were used for these purposes. The results of the experiments allowed us to characterise the alterations produced by abrasion caused by sediment pressure, enabling differentiation from dietary signals (scratches, pits, and gouges) and excluding them from dental microwear analyses. However, the thermal alteration experiment showed that this process does not produce significant effects, and even carbonized teeth retain dental microwear, making them appropriate for dietary reconstructions. Additionally, a comparison of archaeological teeth from level IIIb of Teixoneres Cave (Moià, Barcelona) was conducted, confirming the inferences drawn from the experimental results. This research highlights the importance of conducting such studies to better understand the impact of taphonomic processes on dental microwear, which is crucial for accurate dietary and palaeoecological interpretations.