Reindeer exploitation in the Upper Palaeolithic site of Buda, Eastern Romania. Evidence from older and newer excavations

Abstract

The Upper Palaeolithic site from Buda (Bacău County) has been known since 1952 for the large amount of animal bones discovered alongside Gravettian tools. The revision of the osteological material from the old excavations (1958– 1960), as well as the study of newly discovered specimens excavated in the 2012– 2014 field seasons was carried out. The faunal material is dominated by long bone epiphyses and elements of the distal limbs, suggesting that the site functioned, for a short period, as a butchery site where the steppe bison and reindeer carcasses were dismembered, long bones were cracked for marrow extraction and then the skeletal elements that presented no interest were abandoned. Based on the population structure and reindeer antler development, we estimate that the hunting expeditions took place at the beginning of the cold season.