Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 38(1) 1995

Issue:

VOL 38(1) 1995

Keywords:

Capra, taphonomy, archaeology, hominids, specialist hunters, resource richness, community structure, Upper Pleistocene, large mammals

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Large mammals, climate and resource richness in Upper Pleistocene Europe

• Clive GAMBLE

Abstract:

A regional model for Upper Pleistocene Europe is examined from the perspective of faunal variation. A large mammal database from three regions distributed between the north and south of the continent is analysed in terms of taxa frequency and diversity. Comparisons are drawn between faunal assemblages with an archaeological association and those without. A focus on faunas with Capra reveals increased carnivore frequency. It is suggested that these associations provide a means to assess relative resource richness between regions and allow a chronological comparison of past hominid behaviour. The implications for characterising human exploitation of large mammals is discussed.