Differential accumulation of large mammal remains by carnivores and humans during the Middle Stone Age in the Eastern and Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

During the Middle Stone Age (MSA), hominins occupied a number of cave sites in southern Africa. Faunal remains of large mammals are commonly found at these MSA sites. Additionally, a number of faunal accumulations have been excavated that were collected by carnivores such as leopards and hyenas. Here we use the ratios of animal remains from MSA sites in the Eastern and Western Cape provinces of South Africa to investigate the contribution of specimens accumulated by carnivores versus hominins. In particular, we calculate the carnivore – ungulate, leopard, leopard – hyena, Raphicerus and hyrax indices. We also calculate a Modified Raphicerus index. Our results suggest that two of these ratios, namely the carnivore – ungulate and leopard indices are useful to demonstrate differences between carnivore and anthropogenic accumulations. High values of the carnivore – ungulate ratio indicate samples accumulated by hyenas, whereas those assemblages with high values of the leopard index, point to leopards as the main accumulator of faunal remains. Conversely, the carnivore – ungulate and leopard ratio values are low for samples accumulated mostly by humans.