Abstract: The faunal collection excavated by the archaeologist or paleontologist almost never resembles the original death assemblage exactly (exceptions to this fact may be catastrophic mortality situations, such as volcanic eruptions). Nevertheless, before any interpretations can be confidently derived regarding the excavated bone collection, understanding the processes that affect the formation of an archaeofaunal assemblage is critical. This job is primarily the responsibility of taphonomists , who examine the biostratinomic (e.g., fluvial transport and abrasion) and diagenetic processes (e. g.,sediment compaction, biochemical etching) that affect faunal remains during accumulation and burial. The primary goal of this paper is to review these various taphonomic processes and provide examples from ongoing taphonomic research conducted in East Asia.

Key words: Taphonomic biases; Fluvial transport; Weathering; Spirally fractured bones ; Biochemical marks