Integrating Faunal and Lithic Evidence from Quina Mousterian Contexts in Southwestern France to Investigate Neandertal Subsistence Strategies and Mobility

Summary

The interpretation of Middle Paleolithic archaeological assemblages has been the subject of spirited debates among researchers of Neandertal behavior for over half a century. While these debates have classically centered on analyses of lithic assemblages (e.g., the "Bordes-Binford debate"), it is important to recognize the value of incorporating the associated faunal records in our approach to these questions. Differences in lithic assemblages may be affected by factors like mobility, which may in turn be influenced by subsistence strategies. Changes in prey resource type and availability during differing climate periods could impact how Neandertals navigated their landscape, affecting both hunting and prey processing practices as well as tool-making decisions. Future research into Neandertal behavior could benefit from a more holistic approach in which foraging theory is applied to the faunal record and then aligned with studies of lithic attributes relating to mobility. An application of this approach will be discussed in terms of Quina Mousterian archaeological (faunal and lithic) assemblages in southwestern France.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)   •
• Connecting Middle Paleolithic Datasets: The Interplay of Zooarchaeological and Lithic Data for Unraveling Neanderthal Behavior

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 16009