‘Steppe’ mammoth (Mammuthus trogontherii) remains in their geological and cultural context from Bełchatów (Poland): A consideration of human exploitation in the Middle Pleistocene

Abstract

In 1981 and 1991, mammoth remains and associated fauna were found in central Poland, at the Bełchatów opencast mine in sandy gravel deposits. Most of them lay at approximately 160–175 m above mean sea level (a.s.l.), located in the lower and upper members of the alluvial Chojny Formation. This formation belongs to the Middle Pleistocene, and can be connected with the Mazovian (MIS-11, Holsteinian) or Zbójnian (MIS-9, Reinsdorf) Interglacial.The Bełchatów mammoth assemblage described here consists of cranial and postcranial elements. Analysis of their morphological characteristics and osteometrics are used to demonstrate that at least two molars and one tusk belong to Mammuthus trogontherii and that the tusk belonged to a male. On the basis of the minimum number of elements of the most common element (left incisors), the mammoth remains represent at least two individuals. Based upon the different ages of death for the various elements, it appears that they represent several individuals.The bulk of the mammoth remains were recovered from the oldest depositional cycle in the lower member of Chojny Formation, and are therefore coincident with a shrub tundra environment and cool temperate conditions. They were deposited in sediments formed by a meandering river with a fairly low power of flow, and were buried soon after transport over a short distance. This conclusion is also supported by the palaeobotanical data.An additional element, a costa, was recovered from the upper member of the Chojny Formation, which is associated with the cooling conditions. The enveloping deposit appears to be the result of a series of more rapid discharge events by a braided river. This element is distinguished from those elements recovered from the lower member due to the presence of a series of unusual striations. SEM analysis suggests that some of the striations were probably made by chipped stone tools used in a slicing action, as if the result of the filleting of flesh from the rib area. The time frame for the depositional context of the costa suggests that the striations may have been made by one of several possible human taxa that occurred in central Europe during this period, including Homo heidelbergensis. Given the dearth of human skeletal remains from this region and time period, this represents the earliest and only example of Middle Pleistocene human butchering activity in Poland. The remains discussed in this paper are presented in light of their depositional and cultural contexts, which not only increases our knowledge of the occurrence of M. trogontherii in Poland, but also provides increased evidence for Lower Palaeolithic human activity in central Europe during an early interglacial.