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Reindeer specialization in the early Upper Palaeolithic: the evidence from south west France [An article from: Journal of Archaeological Science]


by P.A. Mellars

List Price: $5.95
Available: Available for download now
Sales Rank: 4174290
Studio: Elsevier
Binding: Digital
Publication Date: May 01, 2004
Publisher: Elsevier


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Product Description
This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Archaeological Science, published by Elsevier in 2004. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
In a recent article (J. Archaeol. Sci. 29 (2002) 1439) Donald Grayson and Francoise Delpech have questioned the hypothesis of increasing 'specialization' in the exploitation of reindeer resources over the period of the Middle-Upper Palaeolithic transition in southwestern France. The present response shows that there is a clear and statistically significant increase in the degree of quantitative specialization in the exploitation of reindeer, extending back to the earliest stages of the Aurignacian (ca. 33,000-35,000 BP) and marked by the appearance of faunal assemblages with up to 99% reindeer. The major issue lies in assessing the relative impact of climatic versus human behavioural factors in the composition of these virtually monospecific reindeer faunas from the southwest French Upper Palaeolithic sites. The potential social and demographic implications of this heavy reliance on reindeer resources are also discussed.
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