Économie de chasse et d'exploitation de l'animal au Cuzoul de Vers (Lot) au Solutréen et au Badegoulien

Abstract

Over approximately 3000 years, the rock shelter of Cuzoul de Vers was intermittently occupied by Solutrean and Badegoulian groups for short periods during the warm season. Within this finely stratified site, numerous hearths, stone knapping locations and ochre accumulations have been preserved. Archaeozoological analyses of some thirty levels have revealed numerous recurrences of types of human behaviour. The Palaeolithic populations had precise knowledge of the environment they exploited. Within each level, we observe that young reindeer, ibex, and chamois were selected and hunted to satisfy not only alimentary needs, but also those associated with technical and symbolic productions. The exploiting of bone as fuel after marrow extraction confers dimensional characteristics on the various types of bone material which can only be demonstrated on material from excavations where all material, without exception, has been collected.