The exploitation of ungulates in the Magdalenian in the Entre-Deux-Mers (Gironde, France)

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of unpublished or recent data obtained from taphonomic and zooarchaeological studies carried out on several Magdalenian osseous assemblages in the Gironde, most of which were performed or updated as part of the Magdatis project. These assemblages have been attributed to techno-complexes from the Lower Magdalenian (Saint-Germain-la-Rivière lower complex), Middle Magdalenian (Roc de Marcamps 2, Moulin-Neuf layer 2, Saint-Germain-la-Rivière upper complex and Fongaban) and Upper Magdalenian (Morin and row 24 of Faustin). They document, from a diachronic and synchronic standpoint, the relationships between Magdalenian hunter gatherers and their prey, principally ungulates. Our study focuses on the butchery of carcasses, from their transport to their disposal, through an investigation of the transportation methods, resources obtained, intensity of butchery, and techniques used, as well as any recurrences in the chaînes opératoires. We also discuss the variations in the modes of consumption in relation to the size of the prey, the seasons of procurement, and the function of the sites.Irrespective of the size of the hunted games, the carcasses are incomplete. The post-cranial axial skeletons have been abandoned at the kill site. The limb and mandible bones are common, but differences are observed between the species exploited, reflecting either logistical constraints or nutritional contingencies. The resources used are diverse at the residential sites (skin, meat, marrow, tendons and hoofs). The marrow has been particularly intensely exploited regardless of the season; this advanced use does not however extend to the extraction of the fat. The results of this study indicate that, despite palaeoenvironmental and cultural changes, there were no real differences during the whole Magdalenian period in Gironde and that human groups remained faithful to the same traditions regarding the acquisition and processing of carcasses.