Abstract:

Since its introduction into archaeological research in 1970s, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) has become a powerful tool for exploring spatial patterns, environmental relationships, and human behaviours. Initially used for spatial distribution analysis and predictive modeling of archaeological sites, GIS applications have since expanded to include sophisticated analyses such as settlement predictions, least-cost path modeling, and viewshed analysis. In China, the use of GIS in archaeology began in the 1990s and has grown steadily, particularly in the areas of regional surveys, settlement pattern studies, and landscape archaeology. However, within the field of zooarchaeology, the utilization of GIS remains scarce, with applications limited to quantitative study such as calculating the value of Minimum Number of Elements (MNE).

This study applies GIS spatial techniques to 1434 long bones of wild aurochs (Bos primigenius) recovered from the G2 trench and 322 long bones from house features at the Houtaomuga site, Jilin Province. Before recovering the long bones in GIS method, we employed bison bone density data obtained by computed tomography (CT) to assess the relationship between %MAU and mineral density using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient. Result presents the relationship between the %MAU of long bone portions from the house features is negative and highly significant, suggesting that mineral density contributed little to destructive processes in this context. By contrast, the %MAU values from G2 show a positive, though weak, correlation with bone density. This weak linear correlation indicates that density-related destructive processes were present at G2 but can not provide a primary explanation for its anatomical representation.

Using standardized vector templates derived from extant bison skeletons, ArcGIS Pro was employed to analyze bone survivorship patterns and spatial distribution of thermal alteration marks. The results reveal that bone proximal/distal ends are better preserved than mid-shaft fragments, consistent with patterns typically associated with marrow extraction practices. Scorched burn marks were most frequently located on the mid-shaft regions of bones, suggesting a brief exposure to heat, possibly to facilitate bone breakage. This distribution patterns vary among the different long bone elements, and we attribute this variance to different bone breaking methods, an adjustment to bone morphology, and the condition of bone articulation.

The study demonstrates that GIS-based spatial analysis can provide visualizations of bone survivorship pattern and the distribution of bone surface modification, offering a new avenue for interpreting human behaviours in the archaeological assemblage. By incorporating spatial data into analysis of faunal remains, this research broadens the methodological toolkit available to zooarchaeologists and highlights the potential of GIS to uncover insights into past subsistence strategies, resource utilization, and bone processing practices in prehistoric societies.

Key words: GIS, zooarchaeology, bone survivorship pattern, heat alteration, Houtaomuga site