Strengthening the inferential link between cutmark frequency data and Oldowan hominid behavior: results from modern butchery experiments

Briana L. Pobiner · David R. Braum

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Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology Primate Behavior and Ecology Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies

Abstract

Cutmark frequencies are often cited in discussions of Oldowan hominid behavior, yet their interpretation remains enigmatic. To strengthen inferences derived from cutmark data, we conducted experiments with Turkana butchers. We test two hypotheses: (1) cutmark frequency is related to the amount of meat present, and (2) cutmark frequency is related to the size of the bone/carcass being butchered. Hypothesis 1 is not supported, while hypothesis 2 is supported. We document a positive correlation between bone/carcass size and cutmark frequency. We therefore advocate treating bones/carcasses of different sizes as analytically discrete units.

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References

1981Bones: Ancient Men and Modern Myths 1986Systematic Butchery by Plio/Pleistocene Hominids at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania [and Comments and Reply]1995Honor among thieves: a zooarchaeological study of Neandertal ecology 1987Characteristics of an Early Hominid Scavenging Niche [and Comments and Reply]1997Meat-eating by early hominids at the FLK 22Zinjanthropussite, Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania): an experimental approach using cut-mark data 1994Carnivore tooth marks and stone tool butchery marks on scavenged bones: archaeological implications 1986Early Hominid Scavenging Opportunities: Implications of Carcass Availability in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Ecosystems 2002Cut and Tooth Mark Distributions on Large Animal Bones: Ethnoarchaeological Data from the Hadza and Their Implications For Current Ideas About Early Human Carnivory

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