Archaeological Assemblages Research Articles

Use-wear analyses and provenance determination of pitchstone artefacts: a pilot study from western Scotland

Pitchstone (a volcanic glass similar to obsidian) from geological outcrops on the west coast of Scotland circulated widely among Neolithic communities in northern Britain and Ireland, representing an exchange network that in its areal extent rivalled those that developed around obsidian sources in continental Europe and the Mediterranean. While the archaeological distribution of pitchstone within the British Isles is now well documented, rather less is known about which sources were used or the functions of pitchstone tools found in archaeological contexts.Here we report the results of a pilot study, the main objectives of which were to: (1) assess if we could discriminate between pitchstone sources and assign archaeological finds to sources using non-destructive chemical analysis, and (2) determine how use-wear manifests itself on pitchstone artefacts.We undertook pXRF analyses of pitchstone samples from two geological outcrops on the Isle of Arran and five archaeological assemblages from Neolithic sites on Arran and mainland Scotland. We also conducted analyses of wear patterns on pitchstone artefacts from all five archaeological assemblages. To aid interpretation of the wear patterns observed on archaeological pieces, experiments were conducted in which natural pitchstone flakes and replicated artefacts were used in various tasks (processing of dry and fresh wood, pig hide, reed, and fresh meat and bones) followed by microscopic examination to assess the kinds of use-wear produced.The results of the pXRF analyses suggest that the pitchstone found at each of the archaeological sites examined was obtained from more than one source. The results of the use-wear analyses were equivocal. Microfractures and striations were identified on both archaeological and experimental artefacts. But it proved difficult to distinguish taphonomic from use damage on the archaeological pieces.

WOODEN TECHNOLOGY DURING THE IRON AGE: THE ASPIO CAVE (RUESGA, NORTH SPAIN)

SummaryRemains of perishable materials only survive at archaeological sites in extraordinary preservation conditions. This means that some technologies, such as woodworking, are clearly under‐represented in the archaeological record. Twelve wooden objects were found in the Aspio Cave (Ruesga, Cantabria). The application of an appropriate analytical methodology has allowed us to identify the processes of their selection, acquisition, fabrication and main morphological characteristics. In the case of the combs, morphological parallels have been established with artefacts at Iron Age sites in the British Isles. This singular archaeological assemblage, from a deposit dated in the second or first centuries cal BC, enables an exploration of the role of wood technology in Iron Age societies in Cantabrian Spain.

Reassembling the Mortuary Assemblage: New Investigations into The Field Museum’s Osteological and Artifact Collections from Ancón, Peru

The Field Museum’s (FM) osteological and artifact collection from Ancón, Peru amassed by George Dorsey in 1891 represents one of the best-preserved archaeological assemblages from this important Central Coast site. Over the last century, however, mummies and grave goods have become disassociated from one another and their archaeological context lost. This paper reports on recent efforts to reconstruct the Ancón grave lots using FM archival materials. Two case studies are presented in detail, highlighting both the successes and limitations of the project. Ultimately, the results of this study illustrate the enormous potential that the FM collection has to improving our understanding of Ancón’s Middle through Late Horizon occupations and underscores the need for scholars to place greater energy into investigating understudied museum assemblages.

The Middle Stone Age (MSA) Technological Patterns, Innovations, and Behavioral Changes at Bed VIA of Mumba Rockshelter, Northern Tanzania

Although anatomically modern humans emerged during the MSA, debates have focused on the timing for the development of cognitive thoughts, planning depth, and profound cultural innovations. While some scholars have attributed these qualities to the LSA population, others have proposed that the evolutionary modern human behaviors developed during the MSA. This paper is a contribution to this debate based on new excavations at Mumba site, Tanzania, occupied at different periods from the last Interglacial Maximum around 128,000 BP through the onset of Holocene ca. 12,000 BP. We use new ESR dates, geochronology of stratigraphic sequences, lithic technology and typological variability in archaeological assemblages to show gradual transformation, steadiness, and shared technological traits between the MSA and LSA occupation levels at Mumba. We concluded that there are no fixed boundaries between the late MSA and early LSA regarding cognitive thought and technological transformation in Africa.

Rare Roman Finds from a Germanic (Quadi) Settlement: Luxurious Desires or Raw Materials? New research at the Ipolytölgyes–TSz-major site

During the Roman period, Germanic (Quadi) population settled in the valley of the Ipoly River. The locations of their sites are known thanks to earlier topographical research; however, a detailed evaluation of excavated archaeological assemblages has not been accomplished until recently. Since 2017, we conducted new archaeological investigations at the Ipolytolgyes–TSz-major site. Based on finds recovered from excavations and non-destructive surveys, we were able to draw a picture of the communities settling in the border zone of Pannonia in a more nuanced way than ever before.

Twenty years on, a new date with Lascaux. Reassessing the chronology of the cave’s Paleolithic occupations through new 14C AMS dating

Aside from the stylistic debates and quarrels fueled by the studies of its painted and engraved walls, the Lascaux Cave stands out by its very weak and contradictory radiometric framework (Delluc and Delluc 2012). In addition to this, no comprehensive, interdisciplinary study of the rich archaeological assemblages has been conducted for almost forty years (Leroi-Gourhan and Allain 1979). The LAsCO project (Langlais and Ducasse coord.) aims to fill this gap by proposing a global reassessment of the osseous and lithic artifacts, ornaments, ochres and lamps. As part of this work, a new effort has been made to clarify the Paleolithic chronology of the human activities documented by this stratified evidence. Five reindeer remains taken from the cave’s main areas (Axial Gallery, Passageway, Nave, Shaft), some showing clear evidence of anthropic exploitation, were therefore selected to be dated in order to test (1) the chronological homogeneity of the occupations, as already suggested by a high typo-technological coherence and, if this was confirmed, (2) the hypothesis of an attribution to the Badegoulian-to-Magdalenian transition phase, as indicated by prior inter-site comparisons (Langlais 2010 ; Ducasse et al. 2011; DEX_TER project: Ducasse and Langlais coord.). All the selected samples were sent to the Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit (ORAU) and run on a MIni CArbon DAting System (MICADAS) after an ultrafiltration pretreatment. While the sample from the Passageway area failed due to low collagen yield, the other four produced reliable and highly comparable measurements centered on a 14C age of 17,600 uncal. BP (21.5-21 cal ka BP). These results confirm the two basic assumptions described above and contradict the diachronic framework defined by the 1948-2002 radiometric data, while restoring a certain degree of chronological consistency which fits well with the main typo-technological features of the lithic and osseous equipment (Allain 1979, Leroy-Prost 2008 and ongoing analysis). After a brief outline of the existing radiometric data and a detailed description of the sampling and dating strategy, the reliability of the results and their impact on our understanding of the cave’s phase(s) of occupation(s) are discussed in depth. While the issue of the precise “cultural” attribution of the dated assemblages and the links between the latter and the parietal art are beyond the scope of this paper, these new data represent a first but significant step towards a global renewal of the highly controversial chronological framework of the Lascaux Cave.

A new comprehensive quantitative approach for the objective identification and analysis of linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) in worn archaeological dental assemblages

We present a new comprehensive approach for the objective microscopic identification and quantitative analysis of linear enamel hypoplasia defect chronology and duration that is specifically designed for use on worn archaeological samples when there is an absence of visible perikymata. We use the anterior dentition of three individuals that were assessed for LEH using perikymata spacing and depth profiles in a previous study to demonstrate and validate the methodology. The approach draws upon two recently published methods for the identification and estimation of LEH defect chronology and combines these with new developments for objectively matching stress events across multiple teeth of the same individual. Defects on individual teeth are initially identified using the Micro Polynomial method, which relies on surface depth profiles. Defects from multiple teeth of the same individual are then used to construct a common cycle of defects that can then be more confidently attributed to episodes of systemic stress. The chronology of stress events is estimated using exponential regression equations that provide precise age estimates based on the defect distance from the CEJ. These same equations are then also used to estimate the overall duration, as well as separate stress and recovery duration for each episode. Additionally, the overall period of growth disruption that is represented by the various defects identified for each individual is also estimated. Our results indicate that the approach outlined in this paper is not only capable of replicating previous results, but that minor differences, when observed, are due to the improvement in precision and accuracy that the more objective methods employed here are able to generate. This approach not only reduces the potential for observer bias, when compared to commonly used subjective methods, but also increases the accuracy, replicability, and comparability of results while allowing for multiple aspects of LEH to be explored.

Personal adornments from the Eneolithic necropolis of Chirnogi-Suvita Iorgulescu (Romania):

The Necropolis of Chirnogi – Suvita Iorgulescu (Calarasi county) was located on the high terrace of the Danube and was investigated by Done Serba˘nescu (in 1989) by means of the archaeological excavations carried out for the construction of the Danube-Bucharest Channel. For this study, we analysed the archaeological assemblage preserved in the Museum of Gumelnita civilization from Oltenita (Calarasi county) coming from 10 graves, out of a total of 58, which are attributed to the Gumelnita culture (the second half of the 5th millennium BC). The personal adornments are mainly bracelets made of Spondylus valve (16 specimens) which appear in most of the graves, along with an equal number of perforated plates made of Sus scrofa canine, this time the pieces being grouped into two graves. The funeral inventory is complemented by small cylindrical, tubular or biconvex beads, made of various raw materials: Spondylus valve, bone, malachite, cooper and green slate. At the technical level, attention is drawn towards the technological transformation scheme of the raw material, which is extremely uniform for the two main categories of ornaments. Also, the analysed pieces showed different degrees of use-wear, demonstrating on the one hand that they were worn before the deposition in graves, and on the other that the accumulationof these items took place over time.

Personal adornments from the Eneolithic necropolis of Chirnogi-Suvita Iorgulescu (Romania):

The Necropolis of Chirnogi – Suvita Iorgulescu (Calarasi county) was located on the high terrace of the Danube and was investigated by Done Serba˘nescu (in 1989) by means of the archaeological excavations carried out for the construction of the Danube-Bucharest Channel. For this study, we analysed the archaeological assemblage preserved in the Museum of Gumelnita civilization from Oltenita (Calarasi county) coming from 10 graves, out of a total of 58, which are attributed to the Gumelnita culture (the second half of the 5th millennium BC). The personal adornments are mainly bracelets made of Spondylus valve (16 specimens) which appear in most of the graves, along with an equal number of perforated plates made of Sus scrofa canine, this time the pieces being grouped into two graves. The funeral inventory is complemented by small cylindrical, tubular or biconvex beads, made of various raw materials: Spondylus valve, bone, malachite, cooper and green slate. At the technical level, attention is drawn towards the technological transformation scheme of the raw material, which is extremely uniform for the two main categories of ornaments. Also, the analysed pieces showed different degrees of use-wear, demonstrating on the one hand that they were worn before the deposition in graves, and on the other that the accumulationof these items took place over time.

Retouched, rejuvenated, recycled and occasionally hafted as projectiles: stone points of Holocene Australia

ABSTRACTMacroscopic evidence for projectile use of stone points across the Kimberley region of northern Australia is examined using archaeological assemblages from the mid to late Holocene. There is scant evidence to support more than occasional projectile use. High rates of rejuvenation, recycling and continuous resharpening contribute to the low frequency of impact damage. The extent and location of edge damage, interpreted as probable use‐wear, is demonstrated to have distribution patterns consistent with multipurpose functions. Projectile use was merely one, albeit infrequent function of these versatile tools. This study uses use‐wear data to engage with technological organisation theory and discusses rates of use, resharpening, rejuvenation and recycling. Standardisation and an emphasis on maintainability provide the best explanation as to why people produced these tools during the Holocene.

Migration of Pleistocene shorelines across the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain: Evidence from dated sub-bottom profiles and archaeological shellfish assemblages

Intertidal zones on shorelines are geologically complex features of the coastal plain, shaped by heterogeneous substrate lithologies. Palaeocoastlines have been heavily modified by sea-level change, ocean currents, wind, waves and swell. Rocks and sediments along intertidal zones create rich habitats for biogenic forms including shellfish, which are highly sensitive to subtle variations in underlying lithology. Here, we assess Pleistocene shoreline migrations on the south coast of South Africa in relation to fluctuating sea-levels and changes in sediment supply. The study area extends from Still Bay to Mossel Bay, South Africa, with a particular focus on Pinnacle Point. Our goal is to better understand the changes to the intertidal zone along these palaeocoastlines and how this may have affected marine resources available to early humans. We interpret marine geological records at select time slices along sub-bottom profiled transects that run perpendicular to the coast. We describe the character of specific shorelines to establish expectations of coastline character which we then compare to archaeological records at Pinnacle Point. We base our interpretations on (1) significant events in Pleistocene glacio-eustatic and depositional records, such as widespread deposition of coastal sand dunes at ∼90, ∼74 and ∼50 ka [MIS 5e–MIS 4], and (2) empirical evidence from high-resolution records of shellfish assemblages at the archaeological sites of PP13B and PP5-6. We demonstrate a prevalence of dissipative beaches and mixed coasts on Pleistocene sea-level lowstands on the coast of the Palaeo-Agulhas Plain. This differs significantly from the modern coastline with its significance of rocky shorelines.

An archaeological perspective of the Western Zhou domain

20 years ago I wrote a short article entitled: ‘The Archaeology of the Early Western Zhou culture and the Early Zhou enfeoffment’. That paper investigated the early Western Zhou enterprise of political enfeoffment in the Northeastern regions in light of archaeological ceramic assemblages (C.A. 1050-900 BCE). I found good overlap between the distribution of Western Zhou style ceramics and the location of known vassal states of the Zhou world, a find which consequently corroborated the narrative provided in the known historical texts. In the past two decades an astonishing amount of inscribed Western Zhou bronze vessels have been unearthed providing for superior evidence to study the dynasty's enfeoffment enterprise and, in turn, the dynasty's size and dominion. By discussing here this new data, particularly the evidence from the Western regions, my current paper can be seen as a continuation and supplement to the original article.

Ostrich eggshell bead diameter in the Holocene: Regional variation with the spread of herding in eastern and southern Africa.

Despite their ubiquity in Holocene African archaeological assemblages, ostrich eggshell (OES) beads are rarely studied in detail. An exception is in southern Africa, where there is a proposed relationship between OES bead diameter and the arrival of herding ~2000 years before present. In 1987, Leon Jacobson first observed that beads from forager sites in Namibia tended to be smaller than those associated with herder sites. Studies examining bead size around the Western Cape have generally confirmed Jacobson’s findings, though the driving forces of the diameter change remain unknown. Since this time, diameter has become an informal way of distinguishing forager and herder assemblages in southern Africa, but no large-scale studies of OES bead variation have been undertaken. Here we present an expanded analysis of Holocene OES bead diameters from southern, and for the first time, eastern Africa. Results reveal distinct patterns in OES bead size over time, reflecting different local dynamics associated with the spread of herding. In southern Africa, OES diameters display low variability and smaller absolute size through time. While larger beads begin to appear <2000 years ago, most beads in our study remained smaller. In contrast, eastern African OES bead diameters are consistently larger over the last 10,000 years and show no appreciable size change with the introduction of herding. Notably, larger beads thought to be associated with herders in southern Africa fall within the range of eastern African beads, indicating a potential connection between these regions in the Late Holocene consistent with genetic findings. Regional differences in bead size are subtle, on the order of millimeters, yet offer a potentially important line of evidence for investigating the spread of herding in sub-Saharan Africa. In order to understand the meaning of these changes, we encourage additional studies of OES bead assemblages and urge researchers to report individual bead diameters, rather than averages by level.

Experimental and archaeological testing with 3D laser scanning reveals the limits of I/TMC as a reduction index for global scraper and point studies

The ability to accurately gauge the mass loss from production and resharpening of stone tools has wide-ranging implications for our understanding of early human history across the world. Recent advances in 3D laser scanning technology have facilitated unprecedented accuracy in surface area measurements of stone artefacts. This new methodology has been used to estimate flake mass, based on regression of platform surface area. This manuscript presents an analysis of ‘initial to terminal mass comparison’ using an experimental sample (n = 107) and tests empirical inferences on an archaeological assemblage (n = 400) from northern Australia. The experimental and archaeological assemblages were selected to reflect global occurrences of scrapers, convergent scrapers, and some points; making the critique of this reduction index one of global significance. The method cannot reasonably estimate the IM of all retouched flakes with intact platforms surfaces, without regression of flake subsets, reducing sample size, and greatly diminishing archaeological potential. Other reduction indices are suggested to be better suited to this task.

Macromammal and bird assemblages across the late Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Italy: an extended zooarchaeological review

Evidence of human activities during the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition is well represented from rock-shelters, caves and open-air sites across Italy. Over the past decade, both the revision of taphonomic processes affecting archaeological faunal assemblages and new zooarchaeological studies have allowed archaeologists to better understand subsistence strategies and cultural behaviors attributed to groups of Neandertal and modern humans living in the region.This work presents the preliminary results of a 5-years research programme (ERC n. 724046 – SUCCESS) and offers a state-of-the-art synthesis of archaeological faunal assemblages including mammals and birds uncovered in Italy between 50 and 35 ky ago. The present data were recovered in primary Late Mousterian, Uluzzian, and Protoaurignacian stratigraphic contexts from Northern Italy (Grotta di Fumane, Riparo del Broion, Grotta Maggiore di San Bernardino, Grotta del Rio Secco, Riparo Bombrini), and Southern Italy (Grotta di Castelcivita, Grotta della Cala, Grotta del Cavallo, and Riparo l'Oscurusciuto). The available Number of Identified Specimens (NISP) is analysed through intra- and inter-site comparisons at a regional scale, while aoristic analysis is applied to the sequence documented at Grotta di Fumane. Results of qualitative comparisons suggest an increase in the number of hunted taxa since the end of the Middle Palaeolithic, and a marked change in ecological settings beginning with the Protoaurignacian, with a shift to lower temperatures and humidity. The distribution of carnivore remains and taphonomic analyses hint at a possible change in faunal exploitation and butchering processing between the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic. A preliminary comparison between bone frequencies and the distribution of burned bones poses interesting questions concerning the management of fire. Eventually, the combined use of relative taxonomic abundance and aoristic analysis explicitly addresses time averaging and temporal uncertainty embedded in NISP counts and offers estimates of absolute change over time that can be used to support hypotheses emerging from taxon relative frequencies.

Technological and behavioural complexity in expedient industries: The importance of use-wear analysis for understanding flake assemblages

Expedient lithic technology has been described as unchanging and without or very limited presence of formal tool types. However, this premise seems to limit the discussion on technological and behavioural complexity when studying amorphous flake industries. To address this issue, we employed multi-stage use-wear analysis to identify features that are not detectable through macroscopic approach. Our analysis of chert tools from Leang Sarru, North Sulawesi indicated the use of both unmodified flakes and retouched tools for plant processing, and we detected evidence for the manufacture of composite tools. Microscopic wear traces on unretouched flakes show that these were attached to shafts for possible use as hafted tools, but not necessarily as projectiles. Our results suggest that simple flake assemblages can be part of complex tool production and present an alternative view on the seemingly unchanging lithic technology from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene. Furthermore, our current understanding of expedient lithic technology should be reassessed as features that are not observable with standard morphological and technological analyses may be detected through use-wear analysis. Overall, the applied methodology and results of this study are relevant to Pleistocene and Early Holocene archaeological sites and assemblages that exhibit the dilemma of inferring technological and behavioural complexity through the analysis of simple stone tools.

Stratigraphy, sedimentology, and archaeology of Middle Pleistocene localities near Ceprano, Campogrande area, Italy

AbstractThe Ceprano human calvarium, dated around 400,000 yr, is a well-known fossil specimen. It represents significant evidence of hominin presence in the Italian peninsula during the Middle Pleistocene and may be considered representative of an archaic variant of the widespread and polymorphic species Homo heidelbergensis. Since its discovery (March 1994), systematic surveys in the Campogrande area near Ceprano, central Italy, identified 12 localities (CG1-12) with archaeological and/or paleontological assemblages. On this basis, fieldwork was carried out at Campogrande between 2001 and 2006, including drilled cores and excavations, allowing a detailed description of the stratigraphic and paleoenvironmental context associated with the human fossil specimen and the archaeological materials. In the present paper we focus on the stratigraphy and sedimentological features of the uppermost deposits, coupled with a detailed appraisal of the available lithic assemblages that mostly belongs to overlying sediments (CG9 and CG10 localities). We conclude that the Ceprano hominin died in a floodplain environment with a low topographic gradient, where a fluvial meandering channel occurred. The archaeological materials describe a network of sites that document common behavioural features of human groups of the mid-to-late Middle Pleistocene, representing evidence of the regionalization observed across Europe after Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 12.

Scale of time-averaging in archaeological shell middens from the Canary Islands

Characterizing the degree of disturbance in archaeological deposits is critically important for archaeologists assessing foraging strategies, environmental conditions, or behavior patterns of ancient human groups. Qualitative techniques (e.g. micromorphology analysis) have previously been applied to assess the degree of disturbance (age-mixing) in archaeological sites; however, quantitative dating of material in the sites provides a more robust assessment of potential age-mixing. Unfortunately, because of budget constraints, archaeologists are frequently forced to rely on few quantitative age dates for an assemblage, thus obfuscating the signal of age-mixing of the deposit. The development of an affordable and rapid carbonate-target accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon (14C) dating method provides a cost-effective way to retrieve more quantitative dates from carbonate material in archaeological assemblages to assess the degree of age-mixing in the deposit. This study tests this new technique and dates numerous harvested marine limpet shells from archaeological sites in the Canary Islands to determine whether there is multidecadal to multicentennial age-mixing. A total of 58 shells retrieved from six sites and three islands yielded uncalibrated radiocarbon ages ranging from 2265 ± 40 to 765 ± 35 BP, coinciding with the time of prehistoric human occupation in these islands. While most shells from the same stratum showed statistically equivalent ages, in some cases we detected age ranges that exceeded the imprecisions from analytical errors. This investigation is one of the first to quantitatively illustrate that shells retrieved from depth intervals without evident stratigraphic disturbance do not always contain contemporaneous remains and, therefore, dating each specimen is valuable for developing further paleoclimatic and paleoanthropological inferences. This study presents the first report of carbonate-target 14C ages from archaeological shell middens, and suggests that this novel radiocarbon methodology can be applied to these sites, thus allowing the generation of a more comprehensive chronology.

Sustainable harvesting of Conomurex luhuanus and Rochia nilotica by Indigenous Australians on the Great Barrier Reef over the past 2000 years

Offshore island colonisation and use around the northern Australian coastline in the mid-to-late Holocene is associated with expanding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations and intensifying land-use activities. However, few explicit tests of the long-term effects of shellfish forager decision-making and associated impacts on intertidal ecosystems in these newly colonised island environments have been undertaken. We report morphometric analyses on two key reef flat Great Barrier Reef shellfish species, strawberry conch Conomurex luhuanus (n = 360) and top shell Rochia nilotica (n = 45), from two late Holocene archaeological shell midden assemblages on Lizard Island, northeast Queensland. Human foraging pressure was assessed through reconstructions of population age structure across time, highlighting the importance of determining size-at-age habitat preferences and species behaviour patterns when assessing long-term anthropogenic impacts on shellfish populations. Results show no evidence for resource depression across the late Holocene which is broadly in keeping with previous findings at other locales on the Great Barrier Reef, but contrary to expectations of resource intensification models. We conclude that the rich and abundant resources of reef flat environments were resilient to relatively low intensity and likely episodic Indigenous foraging. This sustainability contrasts with the scale and impacts of intensive industrialised harvesting in the historic period.

Species identification of Late Pleistocene bat bones using collagen fingerprinting

AbstractBats form the second most diverse mammalian order (Chiroptera), after rodents, and vary widely in their physiology and ecology. Those species that live in temperate climates are generally insectivorous and nocturnal or crepuscular, sheltering in tree hollows, caves, or buildings during the day. They are potentially valuable ecological indicators, due to their dependence on suitable roosting sites and arthropod food, both of which are commonly affected by human activities. Identification of bats from ancient assemblages that are found in caves could therefore provide useful data for palaeoenvironmental reconstructions and show the effect of habitat loss. Here, we apply the recently developed approach of collagen fingerprinting by soft ionisation mass spectrometry to the identification of ancient bat remains in an archaeological assemblage from Pin Hole Cave (Derbyshire, England). Our results show that a simple set of markers can distinguish all seven genera of bats known to be present in either modern or ancient Britain (Myotis, Nyctalus, Pipistrellus, Barbastella, Plecotus, Eptesicus, and Rhinolophus). Further analysis indicates that species‐level determination is possible in some of these taxa, but it would more readily be achieved using the more advanced methods of collagen sequence analysis by liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Within our assemblage yielding ~6,800 ancient bone collagen fingerprints, we identified only ~1% that derived from chiropterans, and these were predominantly derived from Myotis (two apparent Brandt's bat fingerprints but the majority indistinguishable between the whiskered, Daubenton's and Natterer's bats), Barbastella (the western barbastelle being the only member of this genus known within Europe), and Rhinolophus (identified as the lesser horsehoe bat R. hipposideros rather than the rare greater horseshoe bat R. ferrumequinum). We infer that the site was likely used by roosting bats throughout the year, and the accumulation of these remains was probably not the result of predator activity. More importantly, the peptide biomarkers provided here could proove valuable in the more systematic analysis of microfaunal remains across many European archaeological and palaeontological sites, preferably those that are collected with well curated stratigraphical information and chronological frameworks.