Ancient hunters, modern butchers

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.

博士论文《古代猎人，现代屠夫》首次对德国舍宁根13II-4遗址（Schöningen 13II-4）出土的、与保存完好的木制长矛伴生的骨骼材料展开了详细研究。对该遗址大量骨骼遗存样本的分析，揭示了与旧石器时代早期（Lower Palaeolithic）考古学中狩猎与食腐之争（hunting versus scavenging debate）高度相关的数据。骨骼材料的极佳保存状况，为全面记录屠宰痕迹及重建该遗址早期人类（early hominid）生存行为提供了便利。作者指出，舍宁根13II-4遗址是一处旧石器时代早期猎杀屠宰遗址，在此处尤其是马被猎杀并屠宰，以获取多种动物产品。本研究结果对“旧石器时代早期人类生存行为更偏向边缘性、类食腐模式”这一模型的有效性提出了严肃质疑。