Stewart, Mathew ORCID: 0000-0002-0413-8133, Andrieux, Eric, Clark-Wilson, Richard, Vanwezer, Nils ORCID: 0000-0002-2330-0204, Blinkhorn, James, Armitage, Simon J., al Omari, Abdulaziz, Zahrani, Badr, Alqahtani, Mesfer, Al-Shanti, Mahmoud, Zalmout, Iyad, Al-Mufarreh, Yahya S. A., Alsharekh, Abdullah M., Boivin, Nicole, Petraglia, Michael D. and Groucutt, Huw S. (2021). Taphonomy of an excavated striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena) den in Arabia: implications for paleoecology and prehistory. Archaeol. Anthropol. Sci., 13 (8). HEIDELBERG: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG. ISSN 1866-9565

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Abstract

Studies of modern carnivore accumulations of bone (i.e., neo-taphonomy) are crucial for interpreting fossil accumulations in the archaeological and paleontological records. Yet, studies in arid regions have been limited in both number and detailed taphonomic data, prohibiting our understanding of carnivore bone-accumulating and -modifying behavior in dry regions. Here, we present a taphonomic analysis of an impressive carnivore-accumulated bone assemblage from the Umm Jirsan lava tube in the Harrat Khaybar region, Saudi Arabia. The size and composition of the bone accumulation, as well as the presence of hyena skeletal remains and coprolites, suggest that the assemblage was primarily accumulated by striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena). Our findings (1) identify potentially useful criteria for distinguishing between accumulations generated by different species of hyenas; (2) emphasize the need for neo-taphonomic studies for capturing the full variation in carnivore bone-accumulating and modifying behavior; (3) suggest that under the right settings, striped hyena accumulations can serve as good proxies for (paleo)ecology and livestock practices; and (4) highlight the potential for future research at Umm Jirsan, as well as at the numerous nearby lava tube systems. We encourage continued neo-taphonomic efforts in regions important in human prehistory, particularly in arid zones, which have received little research attention.

Item Type: Journal Article
Creators:
CreatorsEmailORCIDORCID Put Code
Stewart, MathewUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-0413-8133UNSPECIFIED
Andrieux, EricUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Clark-Wilson, RichardUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Vanwezer, NilsUNSPECIFIEDorcid.org/0000-0002-2330-0204UNSPECIFIED
Blinkhorn, JamesUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Armitage, Simon J.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
al Omari, AbdulazizUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Zahrani, BadrUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Alqahtani, MesferUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Al-Shanti, MahmoudUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Zalmout, IyadUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Al-Mufarreh, Yahya S. A.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Alsharekh, Abdullah M.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Boivin, NicoleUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Petraglia, Michael D.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Groucutt, Huw S.UNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
URN: urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-603726
DOI: 10.1007/s12520-021-01365-6
Journal or Publication Title: Archaeol. Anthropol. Sci.
Volume: 13
Number: 8
Date: 2021
Publisher: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
Place of Publication: HEIDELBERG
ISSN: 1866-9565
Language: English
Faculty: Unspecified
Divisions: Unspecified
Subjects: no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:
KeywordsLanguage
BONE SURFACE MODIFICATION; WILD PREDATOR BEHAVIOR; WOLF CANIS-LUPUS; ARCHAEOFAUNAL ASSEMBLAGES; HUMAN SETTLEMENT; OLDUVAI GORGE; ROCK ART; FLK 22; PATTERNS; HOMINIDMultiple languages
Anthropology; Archaeology; Geosciences, MultidisciplinaryMultiple languages
URI: http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/60372

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