How do you kill 86 mammoths? Taphonomic investigations of mammoth megasites

A series of Eurasian archaeological sites formed between about 40 – 15 ka feature unusually large numbers of mammoth remains with abundant artefacts and, often, mammoth bone dwellings. None of these mammoth megasites is dated prior to the appearance of modern humans in Eurasia. This unusual type of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Quaternary international 2015-03, Vol.359-360, p.38-46
Main Author: Shipman, Pat
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Age profiles
Dogs
Hunting
Mammoths
Taphonomy
Wolves
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Summary:A series of Eurasian archaeological sites formed between about 40 – 15 ka feature unusually large numbers of mammoth remains with abundant artefacts and, often, mammoth bone dwellings. None of these mammoth megasites is dated prior to the appearance of modern humans in Eurasia. This unusual type of site begs for taphonomic explanation. The large number of individual mammoths and the scarcity of carnivore toothmarks and gnawing suggest a new ability to retain kill mammoths and control of carcasses. Age profiles of such mammoth-dominated sites with a large minimum number of individuals differ statistically at the p 
ISSN:1040-6182
1873-4553
DOI:10.1016/j.quaint.2014.04.048