A taphonomic analysis of faunal remains from the Jijiazhuang Paleolithic site in the Yuxian Basin

doi:10.16359/j.1000-3193/AAS.2023.0006

Abstract

Abstract:

Yuxian Basin is located in the southeastern part of Nihewan Basin. Characterized by the presence of abundant archaeological materials from the well-preserved fluvio-lacustrine sequence of Middle Pleistocene Paleolithic sites, this basin bears significant implications for the study of human adaptive behaviors in North China. An analysis of the lithics from the Jijiazhuang site(JJZ) has highlighted the technological diversity of the Middle Pleistocene(MP) humans in the basin. However, little is known about human subsistence behaviors here. In this paper we present the results of a zooarchaeological analysis of the faunal remains from JJZ-A, JJZ-B, JJZ-D, and JJZ-E. While the limited number of animal specimens from JJZ-A and JJZ-D offers information of fauna, there can be ambiguities in the taphonomic interpretation; therefore, reconstruction of taphonomy of JJZ-A and JJZ-D is excluded. The research aim is to reconstruct taphonomic history of JJZ-B and JJZ-E and to investigate further potential transport and carcass processing decisions by early humans living at both sites. Our preliminary study shows that Equus sp. was the main animal species with Bovidae, Cervus sp., Rhinocerotidae, and Gazella sp. also represented. There are fundamental differences between JJZ-B and JJZ-E in terms of taphonomy. For example, animal remains at JJZ-E were most probably preserved in secondary context; in contrast, bones from JJZ-B are largely found in primary context, with humans as main agent for the accumulation and modification of this assemblage.
Construction of body part profiles of the main animal species form JJZ-B shows no trend in selective transport of animal parts at the site. Presence of cut marks indicates a variety of human activities, such as skinning, dismembering, and defleshing; while percussion traces on the bones suggests marrow extraction strategies.
Being located on a lakeshore, the JJZ-B site was probably an optimal place for human subsistence activities such as procurement, butchering, and marrow-extraction of large-sized herbivores that were attracted to this area by the water and variety of aquatic and terrestrial plants. And yet, the limited number of bones and stone artifacts suggests that the human presence was probably short-lived; and after their departure, carnivores might have ravaged animal parts left behind.

Key words: Zooarchaeology, Taphonomy, Middle Pleistocene, Jijiazhuang, Nihewan Basin

CLC Number:

DU Yuwei, ZHANG Yue, YE Zhi, PEI Shuwen. A taphonomic analysis of faunal remains from the Jijiazhuang Paleolithic site in the Yuxian Basin[J]. Acta Anthropologica Sinica, 2023, 42(03): 359-372.

Figures/Tables 6

References 44

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地点Sites→ 动物种属Animal species↓	A地点		B地点		D地点		E地点
地点Sites→ 动物种属Animal species↓	NISP	MNI	NISP	MNI	NISP	MNI	NISP	MNI
兔类Lagomorpha	0	0	3	1	1	1	2	2
啮齿类Rodentia	0	0	8	2	2	1	8	2
狐Vulpes sp.	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
小型食肉类Small carnivores	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
马Equus sp.	16	1	46	4	1	1	37	2
犀科Rhinocerotidae	6	1	16	1	3	1	15	1
鹿Cervus sp.	2	1	25	3	0	0	11	1
瞪羚Gazella sp.	0	0	7	3	0	0	3	1
牛科Bovidae	0	0	11	1	3	1	7	1
大型食草类Large herbivores	7	1	27	2	3	1	13	2
小计Sum	32	5	143	17	13	6	97	13
其他Others ^*	0	0	13	0	0	0	14	0
总计Total	32		156		13		111

地点Sites→ 动物种属Animal species↓	A地点		B地点		D地点		E地点
地点Sites→ 动物种属Animal species↓	NISP	MNI	NISP	MNI	NISP	MNI	NISP	MNI
兔类Lagomorpha	0	0	3	1	1	1	2	2
啮齿类Rodentia	0	0	8	2	2	1	8	2
狐Vulpes sp.	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
小型食肉类Small carnivores	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
马Equus sp.	16	1	46	4	1	1	37	2
犀科Rhinocerotidae	6	1	16	1	3	1	15	1
鹿Cervus sp.	2	1	25	3	0	0	11	1
瞪羚Gazella sp.	0	0	7	3	0	0	3	1
牛科Bovidae	0	0	11	1	3	1	7	1
大型食草类Large herbivores	7	1	27	2	3	1	13	2
小计Sum	32	5	143	17	13	6	97	13
其他Others ^*	0	0	13	0	0	0	14	0
总计Total	32		156		13		111

种属Species→ 骨骼部位Bone element↓	马Equus sp.		犀科Rhinocerotidae		鹿Cervus sp.		牛Bovidae
种属Species→ 骨骼部位Bone element↓	B地点	E地点	B地点	E地点	B地点	E地点	B地点	E地点
下颌骨Mandibles	0	0	0	0	100.0%	62.5%	0	0
颈椎Cervical vertebrae	28.6%	0	0	14.3%	0	0	0	0
胸椎Thoracic vertebrae	15.1%	1.7%	9.4%	16.3%	19.2%	0	0	15.4%
腰椎Lumbar vertebrae	9.6%	8.3%	0	0	0	37.5%	0	0
肋骨Ribs	4.0%	0	5.2%	0	0	0	11.6%	0
髋骨Innominates	21.4%	100.0%	50.0%	0	25.0%	50.0%	0	20.0%
肱骨Humerus	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
股骨Femurs	28.6%	5.0%	30.0%	0	83.3%	50.0%	40.0%	0
髌骨Patellas	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
尺桡骨Radius-Ulna	0	25.0%	100.0%	50.0%	66.7%	100.0%	60.0%	40.0%
胫骨Tibia	71.4%	35.0%		50.0%	41.7%	50.0%	60.0%	30.0%
腓骨Fibula	0	0	50.0%	100.0%	0	0	0	0
腕骨Carpals	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
其他跗骨Other tarsals	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	100.0%
跟骨Calcaneus	0	5.0%	0	0	0	0	0	0
距骨Astragalus	71.4%	50.0%	0	0	75.0%	0	100.0%	0
掌骨Metacarpals	71.4%	50.0%	0	0	0	0	0	0
跖骨Metatarsals	100.0%	50.0%	0	0	0	0	100.0%	0
第一趾节骨Phalange I	25.0%	0	0	5.8%	0	0	0	0
第二趾节骨Phalange II	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	25.0%
第三趾节骨Phalange III	35.7%	0	0	8.3%	0	0	0	0

种属Species→ 骨骼部位Bone element↓	马Equus sp.		犀科Rhinocerotidae		鹿Cervus sp.		牛Bovidae
种属Species→ 骨骼部位Bone element↓	B地点	E地点	B地点	E地点	B地点	E地点	B地点	E地点
下颌骨Mandibles	0	0	0	0	100.0%	62.5%	0	0
颈椎Cervical vertebrae	28.6%	0	0	14.3%	0	0	0	0
胸椎Thoracic vertebrae	15.1%	1.7%	9.4%	16.3%	19.2%	0	0	15.4%
腰椎Lumbar vertebrae	9.6%	8.3%	0	0	0	37.5%	0	0
肋骨Ribs	4.0%	0	5.2%	0	0	0	11.6%	0
髋骨Innominates	21.4%	100.0%	50.0%	0	25.0%	50.0%	0	20.0%
肱骨Humerus	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
股骨Femurs	28.6%	5.0%	30.0%	0	83.3%	50.0%	40.0%	0
髌骨Patellas	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
尺桡骨Radius-Ulna	0	25.0%	100.0%	50.0%	66.7%	100.0%	60.0%	40.0%
胫骨Tibia	71.4%	35.0%		50.0%	41.7%	50.0%	60.0%	30.0%
腓骨Fibula	0	0	50.0%	100.0%	0	0	0	0
腕骨Carpals	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
其他跗骨Other tarsals	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	100.0%
跟骨Calcaneus	0	5.0%	0	0	0	0	0	0
距骨Astragalus	71.4%	50.0%	0	0	75.0%	0	100.0%	0
掌骨Metacarpals	71.4%	50.0%	0	0	0	0	0	0
跖骨Metatarsals	100.0%	50.0%	0	0	0	0	100.0%	0
第一趾节骨Phalange I	25.0%	0	0	5.8%	0	0	0	0
第二趾节骨Phalange II	71.4%	0	0	0	0	0	0	25.0%
第三趾节骨Phalange III	35.7%	0	0	8.3%	0	0	0	0

种属Species→ 部位Element↓	鹿Cervus sp.		马或牛Equus sp. or Bovidae		犀Rhinocerotidae		总计Total
种属Species→ 部位Element↓	Gnaw	Cut	Gnaw	Cut	Gnaw	Cut	Gnaw	Cut
颅骨Cranial bones	0	0	14.3%	0	0	12.5%	14.3%	12.5%
下颌骨Mandibles	33.3%	0	0	0	0	33.3%	16.7%	16.7%
颈椎Cervical vertebrae	0	0	50%	0	0	0	50%	0
胸椎Thoracic vertebrae	0	0	0	0	50%	0	16.7%	0
肋骨Ribs	0	0	0	0	0	7.7%	0	5.6%
上部肢骨Upper limbs	25%	25%	0	10%	0	14.3%	15.4%	14.3%
中部肢骨Middle limbs	0	0	6.3%	50%	0	11.8%	5.3%	15.8%
距骨Astragalus	100%	0	50%	0	0	0	66.7%	0