Intensive exploitation of animal resources during Deglacial times in North China: a case study from the Yujiagou site

Abstract

Archeological evidence of intensive human foraging behavior during the Deglacial period (ca. 16,000–8000 cal. BP) from the perspectives of artifact manufacturing technologies and the use of plant resources has been widely reported in China. However, the zooarchaeological perspective has contributed less, especially with respect to animal remains from open-air sites in North China. In this paper, we present taphonomic and zooarchaeological data from layers 3 and 4 at the Yujiagou site regarding the formation processes of faunal assemblages as well as the hunting, processing, and consumption behaviors of the site’s occupants. These data enable the reconstruction of how animal resources were obtained, illuminating the lifestyles of hunter-gatherers who used a micro-blade technology in North China. Results indicate that the Yujiagou hunters preferred juvenile gazelles and horses, and that bone marrow was a significant source of energy for humans. Taking into account climate changes that occurred during the Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene, we hypothesize that exploitation of animal resources intensified at this time. This pattern differs from that of the broad-spectrum diet exploitation widely reported in Europe and Southwest Asia.