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Paleo- and neo-taphonomic analyses of bone assemblages rarely consider all the occurring taxa in a single study and works concerning birds of prey as accumulators of microvertebrate bone remains mostly focus on small mammals such as rodents and soricomorphs. However, raptors often hunt and consume a large range of taxa, including vertebrates such as small mammals, fishes, amphibians, squamates and birds. Bone remains of all these taxonomic groups are numerous in many paleontological and archaeological records, especially in cave deposits. To better characterize the predators at the origin of fossil and sub-fossil microvertebrate accumulations and the taphonomic history of the deposit, it is thus mandatory to conduct global and multi-taxa taphonomic approaches. The aim of this study is to provide an example of such a global approach through the investigation of a modern bone assemblage from a sample of pellets produced by the Lesser Antillean Barn Owl (Tyto insularis) in the island of Dominica. We propose a new methodology that allows us to compare different taxa (rodents, bats, squamates and birds) and to experiment with a cross-validation process using two observers for each taxonomic group to test the reliability of the taphonomic observations. 1. Introduction 2. Materials and Methods 2.1. Owl Pellets Sampling 2.2. Prey Identification 2.3. Taphonomic Analysis 2.3.1. Anatomical Representation 2.3.2. Fragmentation 2.3.3. Surface Modifications 2.3.4. Size/Weight Classes of Preys 2.4. Cross-Validation of Observations 3. Results 3.1. Faunal Spectrum 3.2. Anatomical Representation 3.3. Fragmentation 3.4. Modifications of Bone Surface 4. Discussion 4.1. Diet of Tyto Insularis in Dominica 4.2. Taphonomic Impact of Tyto Insularis on Small Vertebrate Bone Assemblage 4.2.1. Remarks on the Size/Weight Classes of Preys 4.2.2. Anatomical Representation 4.2.3. Fragmentation 4.2.4. Digestion 4.3. Degree of Inter-Observer Differences and Potential Outcomes 4.4. Towards an “Inter-Taxa Calibration” 5. Conclusions

Evidence for chronological change in intra-site subsistence strategies is very rare in the Amerindian record of the Lesser Antilles. The study of the vertebrate assemblage from the archeological site of Roseau in the Guadeloupe Islands underlines the complexity and variability of Ceramic Age Amerindian subsistence behavior. This study establishes a more precise chronology of the previously identified strata of the site, and demonstrates that the Contact period was only represented by rare archeological artifacts dispersed in the stratigraphy. The results from this assemblage indicate that the earlier occupations of the site exhibit a more intensive exploitation of aquatic vertebrate resources compared to later occupations, which have a larger focus on terrestrial fauna, especially rodents and iguanas. This unusual pattern highlights how subsistence behaviors in the Lesser Antilles during the Late and Final Ceramic periods were highly variable. This new evidence of strong inter-site variability shows that the behaviors of Amerindians are not only dependent of large-scale environmental conditions but also influenced by more complex socio-cultural and local environmental parameters. Introduction The site of Roseau Materials and methods - 14C dating and calibration - Archeological material recovery - Ceramic analysis - Zooarchaeological analysis - Paleoproteomic analysis Results - Ceramic analysis - Revaluation of the stratigraphy and dating of the site - Zooarchaeological analysis -- Fish remains -- Reptile remains -- Bird remains -- Mammal remains -- Paleoproteomic analysis -- General zooarchaeological remarks Discussion - The Roseau zooarchaeological assemblage in the regional context - Evolution of fishing techniques - Evolution of vertebrate exploitation strategies Conclusion

12 pages; International audience; The black rat (Rattus rattus) is one of the most widespread rodents on islands worldwide, introduced over the last five centuries. However, reliable information concerning how biotic or abiotic factors influence key parameters of black rat population biology in insular contexts is currently unavailable. Here we aim to document the relative abundance of rat populations and evaluate how the age structure and the body mass of adult individual vary seasonally in different forest environments under contrasting climatic conditions. Rats were captured during wet and dry seasons in 2017–2018 at one or two sites in each of the four natural forested environments of Guadeloupe, all of which experience widely different annual rainfall (semi-deciduous dry forest, seasonal evergreen forest, mountain rainforest and Pterocarpus officinalis swamp forest). A total of 171 black rats were captured during a 1018 trap-night effort. Overall capture results confirm this species to thrive in all the natural forested environments we investigated. With the exception of the P. officinalis swamp forest, black rat populations reach higher relative abundances during the wet season due to juvenile and sub-adult recruitment at the end of the dry season. In contrast, in the P. officinalis swamp forest, breeding activity continues during both seasons and relative rat abundance appears to fluctuate less seasonally. The relative abundance of adult black rats is also higher in the seasonal semi-evergreen and rainforests that experience little or no water stress. These contexts therefore appear the most favourable for sustaining black rat populations, a pattern that is most likely connected to a combination of climatic and/or edaphic parameters that condition the year-round availability and abundance of food resources.

International audience; The use by Amerindian populations of natural caves within the Lesser Antilles archipelago, mentioned by European chroniclers, is now archaeologically attested. However, the use of these rock-shelters as sepulchral spaces is not well documented, resulting in a lack of data on the mortuary practices of Pre-Columbian populations. The “Grotte des Bambous” site (Grande Terre, Guadeloupe) has yielded new evidence on the potential funerary use of rock cavities by Amerindian populations of the Lesser Antilles. The survey and the subsequent archaeological excavation, which was carried out in 2017, resulted in the discovery of human remains dating from the pre-Columbian period, with an attribution to a single individual who died during the perinatal period. Although the site had been extensively disturbed, the results of the archaeo-anthropological study support the hypothesis of a primary deposition, possibly to be identified as a burial. Moreover, these observations provide new insights into the sepulchral use of natural rock-shelters in the Lesser Antilles archipelago during the Final Ceramic period, and raise questions about specific characteristics of the funerary behaviour of native populations in connection with perinatal death.; La fréquentation des cavités naturelles de l’archipel des Petites Antilles par les populations amérindiennes, mentionnée par les chroniqueurs européens, est aujourd’hui un phénomène archéologiquement attesté. Les modalités de l’utilisation de ces abris rocheux en tant qu’espaces sépulcraux demeurent cependant peu documentées, avec pour conséquence un manque de données concernant les pratiques funéraires des populations précolombiennes. Dans ce contexte, le site de la grotte des Bambous (Grande Terre, Guadeloupe) offre un nouveau témoignage de l’usage potentiellement funéraire des cavités par les populations amérindiennes des Petites Antilles. Un sondage, puis une fouille archéologique ont livré des vestiges osseux humains datés de la période précolombienne et attribués à un unique sujet décédé au cours de la période périnatale. Bien que le site ait fait l’objet de remaniements de grande ampleur, les résultats de notre étude archéoanthropologique appuient l’hypothèse d’un dépôt primaire, et possiblement d’une sépulture. Ces observations permettent ainsi d’apporter de nouveaux éléments de réflexion concernant l’utilisation sépulcrale des abris rocheux naturels de l’archipel des Petites Antilles au Céramique final, et posent la question des spécificités du comportement funéraire des populations locales par rapport au décès périnatal.

14 pages; International audience; The Lesser Antilles is a string of islands stretching from Grenada in the south to Sombrero in the north, which was once home to at least 20 insular populations of native rodents scattered across the different islands. Despite their relative ubiquity on the archipelago, these now extinct rodents remain poorly understood. In Guadeloupe (Basse-Terre and Grande-Terre), Marie-Galante, Barbuda and Antigua, fossil specimens of a large Lesser Antillean native rodent have recently been described as a distinct species, Antillomys rayi Brace et al. 2015. In order to shed new light on the processes leading to the extinction of this species, we use stable carbon and oxygen isotopes to better constrain its ecology, along with a series of radiocarbon dates to narrow its last-occurrence date in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante. First, we built a reference collection of present-day isotopic data based on carbon and oxygen isotopes from black rats captured in different natural environmental contexts of Guadeloupe. Here, we show A. rayi to have occupied multiple distinct environments ranging from semi-deciduous dry forest to seasonal evergreen or mountain forests. New direct radiocarbon dates obtained on fossil material considerably bring forward the last occurrence of A. rayi in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante, making it roughly coincident with European contact. However, our new calibrated age intervals place the last occurrence of A. rayi no later than the 16th century AD. Taken together, our results suggest that A. rayi became exceedingly rare, if not extirpated, in Guadeloupe and Marie-Galante shortly after European contact. While the overexploitation of A. rayi by Amerindian populations and the deforestation by European colonists could have impacted A. rayi populations, the consequences (biological competition, disease) of the introduction of black rat most likely explains the early decline of A. rayi and its ultimate extirpation from the islands of Guadeloupe.

Taphonomic data suggest that early humans in Europe had more variable diet breadths than assumed by current evolutionary models., Investigating diet breadth is critical for understanding how archaic Homo populations, including Neanderthals, competed for seasonally scarce resources. The current consensus in Western Europe is that ungulates formed the bulk of the human diet during the Lower and Middle Paleolithic, while small fast prey taxa were virtually ignored. Here, we present a multisite taphonomic study of leporid assemblages from Southern France that supports frequent exploitation of small fast game during marine isotope stages 11 to 3. Along with recent evidence from Iberia, our results indicate that the consumption of small fast game was more common prior to the Upper Paleolithic than previously thought and that archaic hominins from the northwestern Mediterranean had broader diets than those from adjacent regions. Although likely of secondary importance relative to ungulates, the frequent exploitation of leporids documented here implies that human diet breadths were substantially more variable within Europe than assumed by current evolutionary models.

Découverte en 1990, la grotte-abri de Peyrazet (Creysse, Lot, France) se situe dans le Haut-Quercy en bordure du causse de Martel, à quelques centaines de mètres du cours actuel de la Dordogne. Les fouilles menées depuis 2008 livrent une archéoséquence du Tardiglaciaire qui permet de combler certaines lacunes documentaires régionales et plus largement du Sud-Ouest de la France. Au Magdalénien supérieur succède un niveau ayant donné des indices d’un Azilien sensu lato stratigraphiquement séparé du Laborien, ensemble supérieur qui fait l’objet de cet article. Jusqu’alors ce technocomplexe de la fin du Pléistocène et des débuts de l’Holocène demeurait mal connu dans la région. En effet, seuls des travaux anciens menés dans deux gisements permettaient de noter sa présence en Quercy. La découverte d’un ensemble laborien récent (ou Épilaborien) à Peyrazet est l’occasion de conduire une étude collective des divers vestiges dans un cadre archéostratigraphique mieux maîtrisé. L’analyse géoarchéologique met en évidence l’action conjointe du ruissellement et de l’éboulisation comme principaux responsables de la mise en place des dépôts. Dans la partie S-O du site, un lithofaciès de remaniement indique une bioturbation importante en lien avec le creusement de terriers. Bien que leur origine ne soit pas liée aux activités humaines, les rongeurs, les oiseaux, les poissons et les mésomammifères (excepté le lièvre) apportent des données concernant l’environnement des chasseurs-cueilleurs. La grande faune est dominée par le cerf dont les carcasses pourraient avoir été introduites incomplètes sur le site puis traitées pour en extraire la viande et la moelle. Nous avons bénéficié d’une analyse fonctionnelle croisée à l’étude typo-technologique des vestiges lithiques composés pour l’essentiel de silex locaux et régionaux. Ce double regard a permis de mettre en évidence une diversité d’activités mise en œuvre dans la cavité. Une pièce d’ocre rouge, quelques vestiges d’industrie osseuse et des éléments de parure participent également à la description d’une large gamme de tâches effectuées lors d’un séjour prolongé ou de plusieurs occupations successives. La comparaison des pointes de chasse microlithiques avec d’autres gisements sur une vaste échelle géographique conduit à discuter l’attribution de cet ensemble supérieur à différentes phases du Laborien. L’hypothèse d’un Laborien récent (ou Épilaborien) conduit à réfléchir à une perduration de morphotypes ancestraux parallèlement à de nouveaux types d’armatures, observation déjà réalisée notamment à La Borie del Rey dans le Haut-Agenais mais qui demande encore des précisions et de nouvelles découvertes. Discovered in 1990, Peyrazet cave-rock shelter (Creysse, Lot) lies in the Haut-Quercy region at the limits of the Martel limestone plateau, several hundred meters from the current Dordogne River valley. Excavations begun in 2008 produced a Late Glacial archaeo-sequence that sheds new light on several still poorly understood aspects of the archeological record in both the Haut-Quercy region and southwestern France in general. The level overlying the Late Magdalenian occupation produced limited evidence for the Azilian and is stratigraphically separated from the Laborian. This latter techno-complex, dated to the end of the Pleistocene and early Holocene, remains poorly documented in the region, having only been previously identified from two sites in the Quercy. The discovery of a recent Laborian (Epilaborian) occupation at Peyrazet presented the ideal occasion for a collaborative study of the diverse archaeological material recovered from this well-understood archaeo-stratigraphic context. A geoarchaeological analysis produced evidence for both surface runoff and the accumulation of coarse deposits (éboulis) as the principal site formation processes. In the southwest area of the site, a reworked lithofacies demonstrates substantial bioturbation in connection with animal burrowing. Although the presence of rodent, bird, fish, and medium-sized mammals (except hare) cannot be definitively connected to human activity, they nevertheless provide important information concerning the environments exploited by hunter-gatherer groups. Larger species are dominated by red deer whose carcasses were partially processed before being introduced to the site, where meat was subsequently removed and marrow consumed. A functional analysis combined with a typo-technological study of the primarily locally- and regionally-procured lithic material revealed evidence for diverse activities having taken place on-site. An ochre fragment, several bone tools and ornaments equally indicate a large variety of tasks to have been carried out during a single, long occupation or several successive visits. A typo-technological comparison of hunting weaponry (microliths) from sites across a substantial area suggests the assemblage to represent either a Laborian/Epilaborian mix or a unique Epilaborian occupation. This latter case would indicate the persistence of older morphotypes alongside the development of new tools forms, a situation already identified at Borie del Rey in the Haut-Agenais but which requires more detailed study supported by new discoveries.

International audience

International audience; The pelvis of the Antillean fruit-eating bat (Brachyphylla cavernarum) displays strong sexual dimorphism. Here, we describe osteological criteria for determining the sex of this bat species. These criteria are applied to fossil deposits from the Blanchard Cave on the island of Marie-Galante (French West Indies), which contains abundant bat remains. This cave is currently occupied seasonally by a colony of Antillean fruit-eating bats as a nursery roost. Sex-ratios established for individuals from different fossil layers demonstrate the site to have been home to a nursery roost as early as 27,000 years ago, and probably going back as far as at least 40,000 years. These nursery roots are shown to alternate with periods where faunal assemblages were accumulated by owls.

La necropole neolithique de Skhirat, decouverte en 1980, est le plus important ensemble funeraire connu du neolithique moyen du Maroc septentrional. Incluse dans un cordon littoral recent de la facade atlantique, elle est composee de 87 tombes primaires et de 14 depots mobiliers, representant une opportunite unique de discuter le fonctionnement d’une necropole neolithique, tant au niveau de la composition de l’echantillon inhume que de l’organisation spatiale. L’analyse du recrutement funeraire montre une absence de selection pour les individus non-adultes, avec une representation tout a fait compatible avec une demographie naturelle, ce qui est exceptionnel pour cette periode. En revanche, pour l’echantillon « adultes », un recrutement particulier est demontre, privilegiant notamment les femmes jeunes. L’organisation spatiale, objectivee par une analyse statistique, temoigne d’un souci de regroupements des enfants decedes en bas âge (avant un an) et de leur eloignement par rapport aux hommes adultes et aux adolescents. Cela suggere que ces tres jeunes enfants faisaient l’objet d’un statut particulier.

International audience; Small vertebrates and invertebrates are very abundant and generally are good palaeoecological indicators. It is now well recognized that most of small animals’ accumulations in archaeological and palaeontological sites result from predation. Many neotaphonomic studies have been established as references that allow to deduce more or less precisely the origin of a fossil assemblage. By analogy, the predator habitat is used to infer the past one. However, currently, we are still far from having an exhaustive knowledge of modern predators’ diet, ecological niches and bone modification patterns. Moreover, a browse of literature data shows that the establishment of reference is the result of isolated initiatives of palaeontologists, generally taxon specialized and not always published. By the fact, only 108 taphonomic studies for avian predators and 60 for small mammalian carnivores are yet available. Moreover, the reference collections are not always catalogued, deposited in museum or institutions, or even published. There is a need to make these data available to the community and homogenize practices to gain better taphonomic and palaeoecological informations from small animals’ accumulations resulting from predation. We present here some methodological proposals resulting from a workshop were we discussed about respective practices and actions. Then, taking as example pellets from a Moroccan accumulation of Tyto alba nest including various taxa (aves, rodents, shrews, herpetofauna, insects) we propose here a new taphonomic method of study for multi-taxa assemblages.

25 pages; International audience; Data on Lesser Antillean Late Quaternary fossil bat assemblages remains limited, leading to their general exclusion from studies focusing on Caribbean bat palaeobiodiversity and palaeobiogeography. Additionally, the role of climatic versus human pressure driving changes in faunal communities remains poorly understood. Here we describe a fossil bat assemblage from Blanchard Cave on Marie-Galante in the Lesser Antilles, which produced numerous bat remains from a well-dated, stratified context. Our study reveals the occurrence of at least 12 bat species during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene on Marie-Galante, whereas only eight species are currently known on the island. Among these 12 species, six are extirpated and one is extinct. Faunal changes within the Blanchard sequence indicate variations in Pleistocene bat species representation in the Lesser Antilles to have been influenced by climatic conditions, with "northern species" (Greater Antilles) favored during glacial conditions and "southern species" (southern Lesser Antilles) during interglacial events. However, few species disappeared at the end of the Late Pleistocene, with most of the extinction/extirpation events occurring during the Holocene. This pattern suggests human activities in the Lesser Antilles to have played a major role in bat turnover during the late Holocene.

Découverte en 1990, la grotte-abri de Peyrazet (Creysse, Lot, France) se situe dans le Haut-Quercy en bordure du causse de Martel, à quelques centaines de mètres du cours actuel de la Dordogne. Les fouilles menées depuis 2008 livrent une archéoséquence du Tardiglaciaire qui permet de combler certaines lacunes documentaires régionales et plus largement du Sud-Ouest de la France. Au Magdalénien supérieur succède un niveau ayant donné des indices d’un Azilien sensu lato stratigraphiquement séparé du Laborien, ensemble supérieur qui fait l’objet de cet article. Jusqu’alors ce technocomplexe de la fin du Pléistocène et des débuts de l’Holocène demeurait mal connu dans la région. En effet, seuls des travaux anciens menés dans deux gisements permettaient de noter sa présence en Quercy. La découverte d’un ensemble laborien récent (ou Épilaborien) à Peyrazet est l’occasion de conduire une étude collective des divers vestiges dans un cadre archéostratigraphique mieux maîtrisé. L’analyse géoarchéologique met en évidence l’action conjointe du ruissellement et de l’éboulisation comme principaux responsables de la mise en place des dépôts. Dans la partie S-O du site, un lithofaciès de remaniement indique une bioturbation importante en lien avec le creusement de terriers. Bien que leur origine ne soit pas liée aux activités humaines, les rongeurs, les oiseaux, les poissons et les mésomammifères (excepté le lièvre) apportent des données concernant l’environnement des chasseurs-cueilleurs. La grande faune est dominée par le cerf dont les carcasses pourraient avoir été introduites incomplètes sur le site puis traitées pour en extraire la viande et la moelle. Nous avons bénéficié d’une analyse fonctionnelle croisée à l’étude typo-technologique des vestiges lithiques composés pour l’essentiel de silex locaux et régionaux. Ce double regard a permis de mettre en évidence une diversité d’activités mise en œuvre dans la cavité. Une pièce d’ocre rouge, quelques vestiges d’industrie osseuse et des éléments de parure participent également à la description d’une large gamme de tâches effectuées lors d’un séjour prolongé ou de plusieurs occupations successives. La comparaison des pointes de chasse microlithiques avec d’autres gisements sur une vaste échelle géographique conduit à discuter l’attribution de cet ensemble supérieur à différentes phases du Laborien. L’hypothèse d’un Laborien récent (ou Épilaborien) conduit à réfléchir à une perduration de morphotypes ancestraux parallèlement à de nouveaux types d’armatures, observation déjà réalisée notamment à La Borie del Rey dans le Haut-Agenais mais qui demande encore des précisions et de nouvelles découvertes. Discovered in 1990, Peyrazet cave-rock shelter (Creysse, Lot) lies in the Haut-Quercy region at the limits of the Martel limestone plateau, several hundred meters from the current Dordogne River valley. Excavations begun in 2008 produced a Late Glacial archaeo-sequence that sheds new light on several still poorly understood aspects of the archeological record in both the Haut-Quercy region and southwestern France in general. The level overlying the Late Magdalenian occupation produced limited evidence for the Azilian and is stratigraphically separated from the Laborian. This latter techno-complex, dated to the end of the Pleistocene and early Holocene, remains poorly documented in the region, having only been previously identified from two sites in the Quercy. The discovery of a recent Laborian (Epilaborian) occupation at Peyrazet presented the ideal occasion for a collaborative study of the diverse archaeological material recovered from this well-understood archaeo-stratigraphic context. A geoarchaeological analysis produced evidence for both surface runoff and the accumulation of coarse deposits (éboulis) as the principal site formation processes. In the southwest area of the site, a reworked lithofacies demonstrates substantial bioturbation in connection with animal burrowing. Although the presence of rodent, bird, fish, and medium-sized mammals (except hare) cannot be definitively connected to human activity, they nevertheless provide important information concerning the environments exploited by hunter-gatherer groups. Larger species are dominated by red deer whose carcasses were partially processed before being introduced to the site, where meat was subsequently removed and marrow consumed. A functional analysis combined with a typo-technological study of the primarily locally- and regionally-procured lithic material revealed evidence for diverse activities having taken place on-site. An ochre fragment, several bone tools and ornaments equally indicate a large variety of tasks to have been carried out during a single, long occupation or several successive visits. A typo-technological comparison of hunting weaponry (microliths) from sites across a substantial area suggests the assemblage to represent either a Laborian/Epilaborian mix or a unique Epilaborian occupation. This latter case would indicate the persistence of older morphotypes alongside the development of new tools forms, a situation already identified at Borie del Rey in the Haut-Agenais but which requires more detailed study supported by new discoveries.

National audience

Resume L’etablissement de diagnoses des accumulations osseuses produites par des petits predateurs (carnivores et rapaces) est a l’heure actuelle rendu difficile par une forte variabilite intrareferentiel. Or une partie de cette variabilite est due a des problemes methodologiques. A travers plusieurs exemples, nous demontrons que l’absence de prise en compte de la relation entre la taille du predateur et celle de sa proie a de lourdes consequences sur les caracteristiques des coprocenoses puisqu’elle controle directement les capacites d’acquisition, de transport et d’ingestion du predateur. De meme, sans un controle rigoureux des procedures d’echantillonnage, il n’est pas possible de maitriser les variations engendrees par les changements spatiotemporels d’activites alimentaires d’un predateur.

14 pages; International audience; The European rabbit is a small burrowing mammal that is particularly abundant in Western Europe since the Pleistocene and introduced around the world over the last few centuries. Rabbit bones are regularly recovered from archaeological and palaeontological sites; however, demonstrating their contemporaneity with associated material is often difficult. Additionally, determining the origin of rabbit remains in fossil sites is equally problematic due to the lack of reference collections for natural accumulations. In order to address these issues, we excavated a modern rabbit warren in southwestern France using modern archaeological field methods and techniques. The bone accumulation was analysed using a taphonomic approach in order to determine the most relevant criteria for identifying fossil warrens. The assemblage is heavily fragmented and dominated by individuals less than three months old and, unlike what could be expected, no preserved anatomical connections were documented. Bone concentration is low and connected to occupation duration. Taken together, the criteria we identify aide in better identifying fossil warrens in fossil sites as well as evaluate the integrity of the deposits. Finally, our results also add precision to environmental, biostratigraphic and palaeoethnographic interpretations.

International audience

The Bois-de-Riquet archeological site (Lezignan-la-Cebe, Herault, France) provides significant paleontological and archeological data about the first occupations of Western Europe. Although only partially excavated, the site has already yielded an exceptionally rich paleontological assemblage as well as some stone artefacts. The archeostratigraphical unit "US2" is encased within a basalt flowstone radiometrically dated to 1.57 Ma. The sedimentary infill has preserved large and small mammal fossils, as well as coprolites. Biochronological interpretations suggest an age of around 1.3-1.1 Ma for the accumulation. A few basalt artefacts were exhumed alongside the fossil bones. Interpretation of the lithics has required the elaboration of a strict selection protocol based upon extensive knapping experiments with local basalt. This paper presents results from the interdisciplinary study of the Bois-de-Riquet site in the aim of contextualizing these discoveries. The microstratigraphical analysis of the deposits is presented with recent geological interpretations in order to contribute a better understanding of the main features of this assemblage, and its remarkable preservation within the thermal and textural boundary between a basalt flowstone's base and its entablature.

Bones collected on Palaeolithic archaeological sites are rarely found whole. While a range of natural factors and mechanisms can be the cause of this bone fragmentation (e. g. carnivores, weathering, and sediment compaction), human activity is often a major agent, as bone fracturing takes place in many operational sequences involving the transformation and exploitation of animal resources, particularly in terms of the use of bone marrow and the bone itself as a raw material. The bone marrow contained in the medullary cavity of long bones is an important food resource for many human groups, particularly in periglacial areas, such as among the Nunamiut of Alaska or the Siberian Koriak. These groups each use different processes to remove the bone marrow. This variability is partly explained by the technical traditions and modes of consumption specific to each group, which often lead to a standardization of fracturing techniques within the group. Can recurring patterns of this kind be observed in the Palaeolithic context ? And if so, is it possible to demonstrate the transmission of such processes in terms of the removal of the bone marrow ? To help answer such questions, we present in this article a detailed study of the percussion marks observed on saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) long bones from the upper complex at Saint-Germain-la-Rivière (Gironde), attributed to the Middle Magdalenian. This includes an inventory of the number of impact marks on each fragment, their nature, their arrangement in relation to each other, and their location on the anatomical element. The degree of percussion has been calculated for the different parts of the anatomical elements in order to establish whether there were any preferred impact zones. The patterns observed were then compared with those described in publications in order to establish their specific characteristics and to assess the parameters that may have affected such distributions of marks. Saint-Germain-la-Rivière has already been the subject of a detailed taphonomic study (Costamagno, 1999) demonstrating the significant role of Magdalenian hunter-gatherers in the accumulation and modification of bone remains and the limited impact of carnivores. This homogeneity in the constitution of the assemblage reduces the risk of confusion between human and natural agents in the attribution of the marks observed. The corpus studied was composed of 640 bone remains, all of which were fragments of the main long bones containing bone marrow (humeri, radioulnae, femurs, tibias, and metapodials). The faunal remains at Saint-Germain-la-Rivière were intensely fractured and present numerous human percussion marks that can be attributed to this activity of fracturing the bone. Almost 19% of the corpus presented such marks. No correlation was observed between the distribution of the percussion marks and the conservation/ identification of the different skeletal parts. Recurrences in the location of the impact points were nonetheless identified. These recurrences varied in relation to the skeletal elements considered and differed in degree. In the case of the radii, for example, the vast majority of impact marks were found on the proximal parts, in contrast with the humeri and tibias for which the distribution of percussion marks, although more variable, appeared to indicate a selection predominantly in favour of the distal parts. The preferred percussion surface also varied according to the element, mainly the anterior surface in the case of the radii but the lateral or medial surfaces in the case of the humeri. The existence of such recurrences indicates that the arrangement of the impact points results from deliberate choice. This choice of location to perform the fracturing of the bone does not appear to be dictated solely by mechanical constraints (e. g. bone structure) or ergonomic constraints specific to each skeletal element. If that were the case, the patterns observed for a specific species would be relatively similar from one level to another and one site to another. However this is not the case, as at Saint-Germain-la-Rivière, for a single taxon, the saiga antelope, the pattern observed in the upper complex (Middle Magdalenian) differs from that observed in the lower complex (Lower Magdalenian). The most striking case is that of the radii, as between the two complexes the arrangement of the impact points is diametrically opposed. This variability is not specific to this species as at other sites attributed to different techno-complexes, differences in the choice of the location of the percussion marks have also been observed, particularly for reindeer and ibex. This is also the case for sites attributed to the same period. Thus, while we cannot completely exclude the possibility of a preferential choice in relation to the bone structure itself, the existence of such inter and intra-species variability suggests choices dictated in part by cultural factors. Furthermore, the analysis of percussion marks has allowed us to highlight in some cases the presence of several impact points on the same bone fragment. Thus, some of the bone fragments have multiple percussion marks (up to eight identified), sometimes located over a small area and in the form of chopmarks. This type of mark is generally attributed to the disarticulation stage of the limbs during the butchery process. Given their location on the bone element, this does not however appear to be the case here. Moreover, they do not appear to be of a technical nature and cannot be attributed to retouchers. One of the hypotheses that we can put forward here is that several attempts were made at fracturing the bone. This then raises the question of the tenacity and mastery of the technique and could imply that these bones were fractured by novices., La fracturation osseuse est une pratique couramment observée sur les gisements paléolithiques, celle-ci intervenant dans diverses chaînes opératoires de transformation et d’utilisation des ressources animales, notamment alimentaires. La moelle osseuse, contenue dans la cavité médullaire des os longs, est une ressource alimentaire non négligeable pour de nombreux groupes humains, en particulier dans les zones périglaciaires, tels les Nunamiuts d’Alaska ou les Koriaks de Sibérie. Différents procédés sont mis en oeuvre pour sa récupération ; leur variabilité s’explique en partie par l’existence de traditions techniques et de modes de consommation de la moelle, propres aux différents groupes. Ces traditions entraînent souvent une standardisation des procédés de fracturation à l’intérieur de chaque groupe. De tels schémas récurrents sont-ils perceptibles dans le registre paléolithique ? Si oui, est-il possible de mettre en évidence une transmission des gestes relatifs à la récupération de la moelle ? Afin d’apporter des éléments de réponse à ces questions nous proposons dans le cadre de cet article, une étude détaillée des traces de percussion observées sur les os longs d’antilope saïga (Saiga tatarica), provenant de l’ensemble supérieur Magdalénien moyen de Saint-Germain-la-Rivière (Gironde). Les schémas observés ont ensuite été comparés à ceux décrits dans la littérature afin d’apprécier leurs spécificités et de discuter des paramètres ayant pu influer sur cette répartition des traces. Les vestiges fauniques de Saint-Germain-la-Rivière sont intensément fracturés et présentent de nombreuses traces de percussion d’origine anthropique attribuables à cette activité de fracturation de l’os. Des récurrences dans la localisation des traces de percussion ont pu être mises en évidence. Celles-ci varient selon les éléments squelettiques considérés et sont plus ou moins marquées. L’existence de telles récurrences tend à prouver que la disposition des points d’impact dépend d’un choix délibéré. Ces choix ne semblent pas être dictés exclusivement par l’existence de contraintes mécaniques (e. g. la structure osseuse) ou ergonomiques spécifiques aux éléments squelettiques. Par ailleurs, l’existence d’une variabilité inter-et intra-spécifique, observable d''après les données de la littérature laisse à penser qu’il s’agit de choix dictés en partie par un facteur culturel. L’analyse des traces de percussion a également permis de mettre en évidence, dans certains cas, la présence de plusieurs points d’impact sur une surface réduite. L’une des hypothèses que l’on peut émettre ici serait qu’il y ait eu plusieurs tentatives pour fracturer l’os. Ces pièces posent alors la question de l’acharnement et de la maîtrise du geste et pourraient évoquer des os fracturés par des novices., Masset Caroline, Costamagno Sandrine, Cochard David, Laroulandie Véronique. La fracturation osseuse : du fait technique à l’essai d’interprétation sociétale : l’exemple de l’antilope saïga du gisement magdalénien de Saint-Germain-la-Rivière (Gironde). In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, tome 113, n°4, 2016. pp. 691-712.

Plio-Pleistocene climate oscillations in the different regions of Western Europe substantially influenced the evolutionary history of European leporids. Distinguishing rabbits (Oryctolagus) from hares (Lepus) in the archeological and palaeontological record of Pleistocene Europe is complicated due to the variability of their size and morphology. Here, we present the first description of two Pleistocene leporid species from Bois-de-Riquet (Lezignan-la-Cebe, Herault) in southern France. The first, Oryctolagus cf. giberti, exhibits similar characteristics to rabbit species documented in Spain and, thus, for the first time is recorded outside the Iberian Peninsula. The second leporid is a hare represented by very limited number of non-diagnostic remains, which, unfortunately, precludes an exact species identification. Already known from Lower Pleistocene deposits in Central Europe and Spain, the presence of Lepus sp. in southern France sheds new light on the geographic extension of these species. In this respect, Bois-de-Riquet is an important paleontological site that can further our understanding of the evolutionary history and expansion of European leporids.

In 2002, a Neandertal partial femoral diaphysis was discovered at Les Rochers-de-Villeneuve (Vienne, France). Radiocarbon dated to ≈40,700 14 C years before present, this specimen is one of the most recent Middle Paleolithic Neandertals. The diaphysis derives from an archeological level indicating alternating human and carnivore (mostly hyena) occupation of the cave, reinforcing the close proximity and probable competition of Middle Paleolithic humans with large carnivores for resources and space. Morphological aspects of the diaphysis and ancient DNA extracted from it indicate that it is aligned with the Neandertals and is distinct from early modern humans. However, its midshaft cortical bone distribution places it between other Middle Paleolithic Neandertals and the Châtelperronian Neandertal from La Roche-à-Pierrot, supporting a pattern of changing mobility patterns among late Middle Paleolithic Neandertals on the eve of modern human dispersals into Europe.

The Late Magdalenian coincides with the end of the Heinrich 1 (Oldest Dryas) event and the Bölling interstadial. This period was marked by the recomposition of biotopes and the reopening of territories to human groups. The culture began to expand throughout Europe and territorial mobility models have been proposed for several regions (Paris Basin, Swiss Plateau, Rhineland). These models are based on the seasonal alternation of specialized hunting of reindeer and horse or the hunting of these ungulates in equal proportions. In the south of France, hunting was more diversified and included greater proportions of forest and mountain ungulates and small game. Specialized hunting was rare. Abri Faustin, situated in north of the Aquitaine Basin, is one of the few sites in the south west of France dating to the Late Magdalenian with a faunal spectrum dominated principally by horse. Despite this particularity, the site has never been subject to a detailed archaeozoological study. New datings recently performed as part of the Magdatis project have confirmed an occupation contemporary with the Bölling interstadial. We here propose a detailed study of the hunting strategies, transport, and butchery practices carried out on horses at this site. The methods that were used are conventional in zooarchaeology : age determination, quantification of skeletal elements and observation and quantification of natural and anthropogenic marks. The bone assemblage contains 1453 bone and dental remains. A taphonomic study has revealed the excellent preservation of these remains, allowing a high-resolution archaeozoological study to be performed. Moreover, the bone refits shows that the dispersal of the remains is limited. Horse is the dominant species in terms of the number of remains (NISP = 853), number of specimens (MNI = 20) and quantity of resources. Its exploitation does not appear to represent a specialization in terms of the activities carried out on the site in view of the food and utilitarian exploitation of small game (Le Bail, 2005 ; Mallye, 2007 ; Val, 2009) and the presence of domestic lithic and bone tools. The Magdalenians favoured family groups, which were more predictable, rather than singles groups. Seasonality indices show that hunting episodes took place throughout the year. Hunting of singles groups did occur but was more opportunistic than that of family groups. Hunting strategy can be presumed but not clearly demonstrated. We presume that the Magdalenian took advantage of the topography of Entre-deux-Mers to approach the groups of horses. High disparities in skeletal representation cannot be explained by differential preservation and food utility indices (FUI and MUI) are not correlated with the survival percentage. We assume that whole horse carcasses were transported from the kill site to the base camp. The presence of foetal remains supports this hypothesis. This leads us to conclude that the kill site must have been located in the immediate vicinity of the shelter. The reconstruction of the butchery processes implies that horses were exploited both for their food resources (meat, marrow, and fat), and for utilitarian and symbolic purposes. We propose the use of a bone boiling method for the extraction of marrow from spongy shafts and of fat from long bone ends. The results of our study reveal many common elements with sites dominated by Horse, contemporary with the occupation of Abri Faustin, in the Rhineland, on the Swiss Plateau, and in the Paris Basin (Bignon, 2003 ; Street et al. 2006 ; Müller, 2014) : seasons and hunting strategies, proximity of the kill and processing sites, exploitation for food and utilitarian and symbolic purposes. Carcass exploitation was always optimal, with extraction of fat and marrow from mandible and long bones. Even if the use of horse bones for utilitarian and symbolic purposes was never systematic in the Late Magdalenian, we see it sporadically on some sites. All these observations suggest a certain uniformity in the exploitation of this ungulate across Europe during the Late Magdalenian., Le Magdalénien supérieur se développe durant la fin de l’épisode d’Heinrich 1 (Dryas ancien) et l’interstade du Bölling. Cette période est marquée par une recomposition des biotopes et la réouverture de territoires pour les groupes humains. Cette culture connaît dorénavant une extension à l’échelle de l’Europe et plusieurs modèles de mobilités territoriales sont proposés dans différentes régions (Bassin parisien, plateau Suisse, Rhénanie). Ces modèles sont basés sur l’alternance saisonnière de chasses spécialisées sur le renne et le cheval ou de chasses de ces ongulés en proportion égale. Dans le Sud de la France, les spectres de chasse se diversifient au profit d’ongulés forestiers ou montagnards mais également de petits gibiers. Les chasses spécialisées y sont exceptionnelles. L’abri Faustin, situé dans le Nord du Bassin aquitain, est un des rares gisements du Sud-Ouest de la France appartenant au Magdalénien supérieur ayant livré un spectre faunique majoritairement dominé par le cheval. Malgré cette singularité, ce gisement n’a jamais fait l’objet d’une étude archéozoologique détaillée. De nouvelles datations récemment effectuées dans le cadre du projet «Magdatis » ont permis de confirmer une occupation contemporaine de l’interstade du Bölling. Nous proposons ici une étude détaillée des stratégies de prédation, de transport ainsi que des pratiques bouchères employées sur le cheval au cours du Magdalénien supérieur. L’étude taphonomique a mis en évidence une excellente préservation des restes osseux et dentaires permettant la mise en oeuvre d’une étude archéozoologique à haute résolution. Par ailleurs, les remontages montrent une dispersion limitée des vestiges. Le cheval est l’espèce dominante en termes de nombre de restes et de quantité de ressources, même si son exploitation ne marque pas une spécialisation dans les activités pratiquées sur le site. Les Magdaléniens ont privilégié les groupes familiaux, plus prévisibles, aux groupes de célibataires. Les indices de saisonnalité révèlent que les épisodes de chasse se sont répartis tout au long de l’année. La présence de toutes les portions squelettiques sur le gisement et de restes de foetus va dans le sens d’un transport de carcasses entières. Cela nous amène à conclure que le site d’abattage devait se trouver dans les environs immédiats de l’abri. La reconstruction de la chaîne opératoire de boucherie montre que le cheval a été exploité pour ses ressources alimentaires (viandes, moelles et graisses) mais également utilitaires. Les résultats de notre étude révèlent de nombreux points de convergence avec les gisements dominés par le cheval et contemporains de l’occupation de l’abri Faustin en Rhénanie, sur le plateau Suisse et dans le Bassin parisien (Bignon, 2003 ; Street et al., 2006 ; Müller, 2014) : saison et tactique de chasse, proximité du lieu d’abattage et du lieu de traitement des carcasses, exploitation à des fins alimentaires et utilitaires. Ces observations vont dans le sens d’une certaine homogénéité dans le mode d’exploitation de cet ongulé à l’échelle de l’Europe pour le Magdalénien supérieur., Feyfant Léa, Cochard David, Mallye Jean-baptiste. Exploitation du cheval au Magdalénien supérieur dans le Sud-Ouest de la France : le cas de l’abri Faustin (Cessac, Gironde). In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, tome 112, n°4, 2015. pp. 693-716.

The legendary Ub Iwerks designed the Mickey Mouse character out of circles to make it simple to animate while achieving both expressiveness and dynamism. Our entry for the World Builder 3DUI contest revolves around the same idea. The user is allowed freeform modeling and natural selection through a device placed on his finger. The other hand holds a ball used to move, place and paint objects. Exploring the world is attained through a combination of both interaction techniques. Those movements are subject to no constraint, which allows for intuitive editing operations.

International audience; In south-western France, between 18,000 and 14,000 calBP, socio-economic changes are evident in several spheres of Magdalenian hunter-gatherer activities which brought with them an array of trans- formations in osseous and lithic tools. Targeted prey species, although still dominated by ungulates, also show an evolution during a period that was marked by significant climatic and environmental changes that can be correlated with cultural developments. Changes in procurement strategies and new patterns in osseous and lithic weaponry are accompanied by the maintenance of social networks across large regions, while at the same time there appears to be a geographic contraction of groups within regional procurement networks. Ungulates remain the primary prey species but are supplemented by small game. While it is important to evaluate the forces driving behind technological and socio-economic processes through time, cultural evolution within each techno-complex ought to be accounted for as well. In order to evaluate these internal developments, a more precise radiometric framework is necessary, which integrates studies of osseous and lithic technology with available archaeozoological data. This contri- bution presents the first results of such an undertaking based on a higher-resolution seriation of tech- nological innovations and their implications in hunting activities. The rhythm of change appears to be complex and nonlinear, and it highlights the innovative nature of Magdalenian weaponry. These rapid changes, with respect to the Upper Paleolithic as a whole, provide insight into the impact of social interactions as cultural stimulation, as well as how resource availability and human demography func- tioned as factors of changes.

In Europe and southwest Asia, ungulates are generally very well represented in anthropogenically-accumulated assemblages dating to the Middle and early Late Pleistocene. In contrast, taphonomic studies have shown that fast small-sized prey taxa, such as leporids, small carnivores and birds, were rarely exploited during these time periods. These faunal patterns are often interpreted as indicating that Neandertals were characterized by a narrow diet, a finding with important social and technological implications. This paper reexamines this view using faunal data from Les Canalettes layer 4, a Middle Paleolithic faunal assemblage in Mediterranean France dominated by rabbit remains. Multiple lines of evidence, including the presence of cutmarks and shaft cylinders, suggest that humans accumulated most of the rabbit specimens found in this layer. This and other comparable assemblages raise a number of issues with respect to variations in diet breadth prior to the Upper Paleolithic.

National audience; Les traces de brûlures : des stigmates ambigus aux origines multiples. Application aux vestiges de tortues de l’Abri du Mourre de Sève (Sorgues, Vaucluse)

International audience

International audience; 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%).; Les restes fauniques issus de cônes de déblais situés à l'entrée de deux terriers fréquentés par des petits carnivores (renard et blaireau) sont étudiés d'un point de vue taphonomique. Cette analyse permet de caractériser une accumulation osseuse produite par des petits carnivores en contexte de terrier. Elle permettra, une fois transposée dans le domaine archéologique, de mieux appréhender le degré d'intégrité des gisements fréquentés de manière simultanée ou en alternance par les hommes et les petits carnivores. Le spectre faunique est diversifié et composé majoritairement de microfaune (70%) et de mésofaune (30%). La macro faune demeure minoritaire (1%) et est constituée vraisemblablement de carcasses charognées. Prédateurs et espèces consommées ont été comparés sur la base des profils squelettiques, de la répartition des individus par classes d'âges et de la quantification des stigmates de prédation (manducation et digestion). L'analyse des profils squelettiques a montré une nette sous-représentation des éléments du squelette axial et de l'autopode. Les prédateurs se distinguent des espèces consommées de taille moyenne par une meilleure représentation des os du membre antérieur par rapport à ceux du membre postérieur. Les prédateurs offrent un profil de mortalité de type attritionnel, et des éléments de saisonnalité ont pu être dégagés, autorisant une estimation de la durée de fréquentation des terriers par chacun des prédateurs. Les espèces consommées sont en majorité représentées par des individus adultes. Les stigmates de prédation, relativement faible chez les prédateurs, sont beaucoup plus nombreux sur les restes des espèces consommées. Ces dernières se déclinent en traces de manducation et traces de digestion. Sur les restes des espèces de tailles moyenne à grande, les traces de manducation sont très fréquentes alors que les traces de digestion sont rares, voire absentes pour les espèces de grande taille ; c'est l'inverse pour les espèces de petite taille.

Cet article fait suite à une communication donnée lors de la Table-Ronde « Taphonomie : des référentiels aux ensembles fossiles », organisée par S. Costamagno, Ph. Fosse et F. Laudet à l'Université de Toulouse le Mirail les 23-25 Novembre 2005.; International audience; In this paper, we try to document butchery practices from the past. We attempt to characterize through experimental data the marks produced when dismembering using overextension of the elbow of Sheep and several bird species. For birds, the experimentation was realized with uncooked carcasses. In many cases, overextension produced break down of the olecranon fossa of the humerus, with medial wrench of the distal part. Moreover, the proximal joints of the radius and ulna are broken. Bony and uncooked forelimb Sheep bones have been dismembered by overextension. Observations were noticed only on the radio-ulnar. The ulnas had a negative wear scar up to the anconeus process. Sometimes, these marks are associated with lateral crushing of the bone. In the second part of the article, we compare our experimental data with archaeological material. Although we found many cases of dismembering by overextension on bird bones, no data were found on small ungulates material.; Cet article est une contribution à l'identification des pratiques de boucherie mises en oeuvre dans le passé. Il s'attache en particulier à caractériser les stigmates produits lors de la désarticulation en forcede coudes de moutons et de divers taxons d'oiseaux. Dans un premier temps, nous exposons les données expérimentales et discutons de leurs champs d'application. Pour les oiseaux, cette action, effectuée sur descarcasses crues, produit dans la majorité des cas des enfoncements situés au niveau de la fosse olécranienne de l'humérus. Ces derniers, plus ou moins marqués, peuvent être accompagnés d'un arrachement médial de l'extrémité distale. Des articulations proximales d'ulna et de radius sont également brisées. Pour le Mouton, l'hyperextension a été réalisée sur des portions de membres antérieurs décharnés et crus. Les observations concernent uniquement le radio-ulnaire. L'ulna porte dans de nombreux cas des enlèvements localisés au niveau du processus anconé. Ces stigmates sont parfois associés à des écrasements latéraux. Dans un second temps, les parallèles archéologiques sont recherchés. S'il en existe de relativement nombreux concernant les oiseaux, aucun cas certain n'a été noté pour les ongulés de petite et moyenne taille. De nouvelles études actualistes prenant en compte d'autres espèces et d'autres facteurs associés à une systématisation des observations au sein du registre archéologique constituent un moyen d'avancer sur cette question.

The climatic changes which occurred during the Late Glacial and at the beginning of the Post Glacial considerably modified the natural environment of prehistoric populations. For certain authors, these modifications were at the origin of a massive integration of small animals in the diet. In the French Pyrenees and on their borders, broadening diets occur at the end of the Older Dryas. Archaeozoological data coupled with palaeoenvironmental data show that the warmer climate and environmental modifications were not directly responsible for the changes observed in the exploitation of animals. Because of the multiplicity of the triggering factors and their probable interaction, it is however difficult, in the current state of research, to apprehend the causes which led the Late Glacial populations to integrate small game in their economy and their symbolic system., Les changements climatiques survenus durant le Tardiglaciaire et au début du Postglaciaire ont modifié de manière considérable l’environnement naturel des populations préhistoriques. Pour certains auteurs, ces modifications seraient à l’origine d’une intégration massive des petits animaux dans l’alimentation. Dans les Pyrénées françaises et sur leurs marges, une intensification de la capture des petits gibiers apparaît à la fin du Dryas ancien. Les données archéozoologiques couplées aux données paléoenvironnementales montrent que le réchauffement et les modifications environnementales qui en découlent ne sont pas directement responsables des changements observés dans l’exploitation du milieu animal. En raison de la multiplicité des facteurs déclenchants et de leur interaction probable, il est cependant difficile, dans l’état actuel des recherches, d’appréhender les causes qui ont conduit les populations du Tardiglaciaire à intégrer les petits gibiers dans leur économie et leur univers symbolique., Philibert Sylvie, Martin Hélène, Galop Didier, Barbaza Michel, Dachary Morgane, Valdeyron Nicolas, Langlais Mathieu, Cazals Nathalie, Laroulandie Véronique, Ferrié Jean-Georges, Cochard David, Costamagno Sandrine. Nouveaux milieux, nouveaux gibiers, nouveaux chasseurs ? Évolution des pratiques cynégétiques dans les Pyrénées du Tardiglaciaire au début du Postglaciaire. In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, tome 105, n°1, 2008. pp. 17-27.

12 fig., 7 tab.; The site of Igue du Gral is an aven (trap-cave, sinkhole) measuring around 15 meters in diameter and depth. It has yielded a very well preserved Pleistocene faunal assemblage. This site is located on the plateau of the Quercy Causses within an exceptional ensemble of archaeological sites and decorated caves. Its excavation has yielded a large paleontological assemblage on which a series of radiocarbon dates has been realized. At the top of the Pleistocene sequence, a level containing a very large sized red deer has been dated to 10,650 +/- 50 BP (AMS, Ly-16389). A horse bone from the base of the sequence, five meters below, was dated to 26,320 +/- 410 BP (Lyon-3087-Poz). Current research at the site concerns levels dated to between 13,000 and 16,000 BP. Once the excavations are completed, it is probable that more than half of the Upper Palaeolithic will be represented by the faunal assemblages of this site. Despite the small excavated volume, from 5 to 6 m3, more than 8,500 remains have been recovered. The principal identified species are red deer, reindeer, bison, horse, saiga antelope, wolf, leporids and chough. A taphonomic analysis shows that the site functioned principally as a trap-cave with no apparent human intervention. The excavated remains constitute an exploitable source of information for the vertebrate palaeontology, the reconstruction of the paleoenvironments of the second half of isotopic stage 2, the taphonomy of avens and the activities of carnivores. Its chronological and spatial position is particularly relevant to an understanding of the strategies of hunters in the Quercy region during the Late Upper Palaeolithic.; L'Igue du Gral est un aven d'environ 15 m de diamètre et de profondeur qui livre une faune pléistocène très bien conservée. Il se situe sur les plateaux des Causses du Quercy, dans un ensemble exceptionnel de sites archéologiques et de grottes ornées. La fouille a fourni un corpus paléontologique important sur lequel une série de datations radiocarbone a pu être réalisée. Au sommet de la séquence pléistocène, un niveau renfermant un cerf de très grande taille est daté à 10 650 +/- 50 (AMS, Ly-16389). À la base de la séquence, cinq mètres plus bas, un os de cheval donne la date de 26 320 +/- 410 BP (Lyon-3087-Poz). Les recherches actuelles concernent des niveaux datés entre 13 000 et 16 000 BP. À terme, c'est plus de la moitié du Paléolithique supérieur qui devrait être couverte par les assemblages fauniques de l'Igue du Gral. Malgré le faible volume fouillé, de l'ordre de 5 à 6 m3, plus de 8 500 vestiges ont été mis au jour. Cerf, renne, bison, cheval, antilope saïga, loup, léporidés et chocard sont les espèces principalement identifiées. L'étude taphonomique entreprise montre que le site a principalement fonctionné en aven piège, sans intervention humaine apparente. Le matériel exhumé constitue une source d'informations exploitable pour la paléontologie des vertébrés, la reconstitution des paléo-environnements de la seconde moitié du stade isotopique 2, la taphonomie en avens et les activités des carnivores. Sa position chronologique et spatiale lui confère un intérêt particulier pour appréhender les choix cynégétiques des chasseurs ayant fréquenté le Quercy durant le Paléolithique supérieur récent.

Résumé dans Bulletins et Mémoires de la Société d'Anthropologie de Paris, 16 (3-4), p. 237

International audience

International audience; The Cadet 3 rockshelter in Marie-Galante was firstly excavated in 2004. Its stratigraphy covers the latest Pleistocene and the second half of the Holocene. An archaeological level of the Late Ceramic Age was evidenced, as well as older levels, rich in bones and invertebrate remains, for which the question of a human contribution to the assemblage formation was raised.New excavations were carried out in 2018 and 2019 with three perspectives: 1) increase the vertebrate assemblage to describe the succession of Holocene vertebrate biocenoses on the island, 2) refine the deposit chronology and the stratigraphic resolution of the collected assemblages, and 3) collect evidence useful for discussing a human use of the site during the Preceramic period.These excavations revealed the funerary function of the site during the late phase of the Late Ceramic Age with the discovery of an Amerindian burial in the highest part of the deposit. They also demonstrate the Preceramic occupation of the shelter as early as 3,000 BC, by highlighting small combustion features and a tiny microlithic assemblage, both included in a layer documented by new radiocarbon datings. The preliminary study of both vertebrate and invertebrate faunal remains provides an opportunity to further discuss the question that remained outstanding from the previous study, namely the fraction of vertebrate and invertebrate assemblages due to Preceramic activities. This study also leads to the clarification of the species that are now extinct on the island and of the time of their extinction.; L’abri sous roche de Cadet 3, à Marie-Galante, a été sondé en 2004. Il livre une séquence documentant la partie finale du Pléistocène et la seconde moitié de l’Holocène. Un niveau archéologique d’âge céramique récent y a été reconnu, ainsi que des niveaux plus anciens, riches en ossements et restes d’invertébrés, pour lesquels se pose la question d’une contribution humaine à la constitution des dépôts.La fouille du site a été reprise en 2018 et 2019 avec trois perspectives : 1) augmenter l’assemblage vertébré pour décrire la succession des biocénoses vertébrées holocènes de l’île, 2) préciser la chronologie du dépôt et affiner la résolution stratigraphique des assemblages collectés et, 3) recueillir des éléments permettant de discuter la fréquentation humaine du site durant la période précéramique.Les nouveaux travaux font apparaître la fonction funéraire du site à l’âge céramique tardif via la mise au jour d’une sépulture amérindienne dans la partie la plus sommitale du dépôt. Ils démontrent également l’occupation précéramique de l’abri dès 3 000 BC, par la mise en évidence de petites structures de combustion et d’un petit assemblage microlithique, tous deux inclus dans une couche documentée par de nouvelles datations radiocarbone. L’étude préliminaire des restes fauniques vertébrés et invertébrés permet, enfin, de discuter plus avant la question restée en suspens à l’issu du précédent sondage, à savoir la fraction des assemblages vertébrés et invertébrés imputable à l’occupation précéramique. Ces mêmes résultats conduisent à préciser les espèces aujourd’hui disparues de l’île et l’époque de leur disparition.

In the case of zooarchaeological analysis of chelonians, the interpretation as human consumption is often used to explain the presence of burned bones. Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that these burn patterns can be the result of different independent phenomena, such as natural processes (e.g., natural fire) or can be linked, more or less directly, with various human activity. Because it has further important and different implications for the paleoeconomic interpretation, identification of the burn origin is required first. Therefore, this paper explores, for Chelonian materials, the determination between the different processes (natural process vs post-abandon process vs human process), especially through the localization and the intensity of the burning alteration. This approach combines observations obtained by a preliminary experimental study, with ethnological and taphonomical bibliography. The main methodological results is applies on an important collection of European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) from the Mesolithic site of "Abri du Mourre de Sève" (Sorgues, Vaucluse, France).; La présence de restes osseux brûlés de tortues au sein d'ensembles archéologiques est souvent utilisée pour supporter l'hypothèse de leur consommation par l'Homme. Or, il est reconnu que des traces de brûlure peuvent résulter de phénomènes indépendants (e.g., feux naturels/incendies) ou plus ou moins directement liés aux activités humaines. La caractérisation de l'origine des brûlures est donc une condition préalable à toutes interprétations paléoéconomiques de restes de Chéloniens. Nous nous sommes intéressés à mettre en place une diagnose (naturel vs post-abandon vs humaine), s'appuyant notamment sur la localisation et l'intensité des brûlures. Pour cela, nous avons mis en oeuvre une approche expérimentale couplée à une revue bibliographique sur l'ethnologie et la taphonomie des tortues. Ces résultats méthodologiques ont ensuite été appliqués à une série mésolithique livrant une importante quantité d'os de Cistude d'Europe (Emys orbicularis): l'Abri du Mourre de Sève (Sorgues, Vaucluse).

International audience; Découverte en 1990, la grotte-abri de Peyrazet (Creysse, Lot, France) se situe dans le Haut-Quercy en bordure du causse de Martel, à quelques centaines de mètres du cours actuel de la Dordogne. Les fouilles menées depuis 2008 livrent une archéoséquence du Tardiglaciaire qui permet de combler certaines lacunes documentaires régionales et plus largement du Sud-Ouest de la France. Au Magdalénien supérieur succède un niveau ayant donné des indices d'un Azilien sensu lato stratigraphiquement séparé du Laborien, ensemble supérieur qui fait l'objet de cet article. Jusqu'alors ce technocomplexe de la fin du Pléistocène et des débuts de l'Holocène demeurait mal connu dans la région. En effet, seuls des travaux anciens menés dans deux gisements permettaient de noter sa présence en Quercy. La découverte d'un ensemble laborien récent (ou Épilaborien) à Peyrazet est l'occasion de conduire une étude collective des divers vestiges dans un cadre archéostratigraphique mieux maîtrisé. L'analyse géoarchéologique met en évidence l'action conjointe du ruissellement et de l'éboulisation comme principaux responsables de la mise en place des dépôts. Dans la partie SO du site, un lithofaciès de remaniement indique une bioturbation importante en lien avec le creusement de terriers. Bien que leur origine ne soit pas liée aux activités humaines, les rongeurs, les oiseaux, les poissons et les mésomammifères (excepté le lièvre) apportent des données concernant l'environnement des chasseurs-cueilleurs. La grande faune est dominée par le cerf dont les carcasses pourraient avoir été introduites incomplètes sur le site puis traitées pour en extraire la viande et la moelle. Nous avons bénéficié d'une analyse fonctionnelle croisée à l'étude typo-(a

International audience; The Cayo archaeological deposits documenting the contact period between European and Amerindian populations before the colonization of the Lesser Antilles are rare. Among the few sites dated to this period, the site of Roseau, excavated by Gérard Richard in the early 2000s, remains poorly investigated, especially from a stratigraphic and zooarchaeological point of view. In this study, we performed 20 new radiocarbon datings on the collagen content of rodent dentin along with new studies of the ceramic and faunal assemblages of the site. The results indicate that the archaeological assemblage is mainly associated to the Late Troumassoid, with some admixture of Early Troumassoid and Cayo elements represented in various proportions in the whole stratigraphy. Despite these elements, a chronological trend appears preserved in the stratigraphy allowing for a research of behavioral change in subsistence pattern through time. Vertebrate faunal data indicate that the two Troumassoid layers we recognized document different subsistence strategies. Indeed, the earliest inhabitants of the site were more focused on the exploitation of aquatic resources than the latest ones who more significantly exploited terrestrial fauna, especially rodents and iguanas. Carbon and oxygen stable isotope analyses performed on fossil tooth enamel of rodents (Antillomys rayi) suggest that Amerindians hunted them in both dry and wet environments. Paleontological approaches also led to the discovery of several now-extinct taxa that were part of the Amerindian diet. Our investigations point to a strong chronological variability of subsistence behaviors and improve our understanding of the accumulation history of the site.

Langlais Mathieu, Laroulandie Véronique, Bruxelles L., Chalard Pierre, Cochard David, Costamagno Sandrine, Delfour Géraldine, Kuntz Delphine, Le Gall Olivier, Pétillon Jean-Marc, Queffelec Alain. Les fouilles de la grotte-abri de Peyrazet (Creysse, Lot) : nouvelles données pour le Tardiglaciaire quercinois. In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, tome 106, n°1, 2009. pp. 150-152.