Ancient hunters, modern butchers : Schöningen 13II - 4, a kill-butchery site dating from the northwest European Lower Palaeolithic

Abstract

The PhD thesis Ancient Hunters, Modern Butchers presents a first detailed study of bone material found together with spectacularly preserved wooden spears at the Lower Palaeolithic site of Schöningen 13II-4, in Germany. Analysis of a large sample of bone remains from this site revealed data being very relevant to the hunting versus scavenging debate in Palaeolithic archaeology. Excellent conservation of the bone material facilitated a thorough documentation of butchery traces and the reconstruction of early hominid subsistence behaviour at the site. The author argues that Schöningen 13II-4 represents a Lower Palaeolithic kill-butchery site where especially horses have been killed and butchered for multiple animal products. The results of this study seriously question the validity of models on marginal, more scavenging like Lower Palaeolithic hominid subsistence behaviour.

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