Abstract: This manuscript reviews the various quantitative elements in zooarchaeology, and develops a firm understanding of how and when to employ different numerical classifiers by their applications to the Ma’anshan faunal assemblage.
The MNI is assigned to two distinct parts of the Ma’anshan deposit in order to identify quantitative differences in the archaeofauna because in previous research it was shown that stone artifacts and mammalian fossils in strata 7-8 were much larger than those in strata 3-6. There are 11 kinds of macromammalian bones found in the lower part, here the MNI is 32 with 18 ( about 56.25%) representing large animals ( mainly Rhinoceros sinensis, Bubalus sp. and Stegodon orientalis) . In the upper part, 16 kinds of macromammals belonging to 50 individuals, of which 19 ( about 38% ) are mediumsized ungulatesCervus unicolor. Therefore, it is assumed that in the early stage Ma’anshan hominids preyed on largesized game animals, while in the late stage they mainly hunted mediumsized ones.
The MNE, MAU, MAU% are applied to Class II animal bones of the upper strata to determine their relative skeletal part abundance ( figures 8 and 9) . From the skeletal element profile and data of deer bone density, meat and marrow return, and ethnoarchaeological observations, it is assumed that Ma
anshan hominids in the late stage tended to transport carcasses of class II animals selectively, taking only heads and legs ( with bone cavities containing much marrow ) to the base camp, while abandoning vertebrae, ribs and pelves with little marrow at the kill site. Scapulae, metapodials and podials were also taken to the camp as they were parts attached to the upper limbs.

Key words: NISP; MNI; MNE; MAU; Ma
anshan site