New zooarchaeological perspectives on the early Upper Paleolithic Rostamian sequence of Ghar-e Boof (southern Zagros Mountains, Iran)

Abstract

Ghar-e Boof is a Paleolithic cave site in Iran, known for being the type locality for the early Upper Paleolithic (UP) Rostamian lithic industries. Defining the Rostamian cultural group has significant archaeological implications for the Zagros Mountains. First, it highlights the cultural diversity of the UP in the Zagros. Second, it evinces a more complex scenario for the spread of anatomically modern humans (AMHs) across Southwest Asia. Despite this, little is known about human subsistence strategies during the Rostamian. In this paper, we present the results of a zooarchaeological analysis that allows us to reconstruct prey choice, transport decisions, and carcass processing at Ghar-e Boof. Wild sheep/goat was the main prey at the site, but other taxa such as partridges, tortoises, and gazelles represented important dietary supplements. Mortality data indicate that Rostamian hunters primarily targeted prime-aged adult ungulates. Anatomical representation also shows that there was no selective transport of animal carcasses to the site, so hunting activities most likely took place nearby. Although many specimens in the assemblage were covered by thick concretions, the presence of cut marks demonstrates defleshing, filleting, dismemberment, and even the removal of internal organs of prey. Percussion impacts and cone fractures also suggest the processing of bones for marrow. Chronologically, moving from the oldest to the youngest layers, there is a decrease in large game in parallel with a progressive increase in small, fast-moving animals. Following the prey choice model of optimal foraging theory, this diachronic variation might track regional resource stress or an increase in hunting pressure. Our results, along with the analysis of lithic artifacts and changes in the rates of sedimentation during the Rostamian sequence, indicate an increase in occupation intensity through time. Thus, the archaeological record of Ghar-e Boof and the ubiquity of UP sites across the Dasht-e Rostam region most probably reflect population growth within a few millennia after the arrival of AMHs.