An archaeozoological contribution to the characterization of occupation patterns of alpine and jurassian sites, from the epipalaeolithic to the early neolithic

• Main Authors: Bridault, Anne, Chaix, Louis
• Other Authors: Archéologies et Sciences de l'Antiquité (ArScAn), Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (UP1)-Université Paris 8 Vincennes-Saint-Denis (UP8)-Université Paris Nanterre (UPN)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Book Part
• Language: French
• Published: HAL CCSD 1999
• Subjects: Epipaleolithic; Mesolithic; Early Neolithic; mammals; seasonality; foraging; Épipaléolithique; Mésolithique; Néolithique ancien; mammifères; saisonnalité; système d'exploitation; [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory; Jura; Lepus timidus
• Online Access: https://hal.parisnanterre.fr/hal-02364712; https://hal.parisnanterre.fr/hal-02364712/document; https://hal.parisnanterre.fr/hal-02364712/file/BRIDAULT_CHAIX%201999%20%28%20in%20l%27Europe%20des%20derniers%20chasseurs%29.pdf

International audience Our paper presents a critical review of the archaeozoological data for the Northern Alps and Jura inorder to characterize the occupation patterns of the sites and to enlight the modalities of human settlement andexploitation territories frorn the Epipaleolithic to the Early Neolithic (ca. 12,000-6,500 BP uncal.). The comparisons ofthe composition of the faunal spectra by chronocultural stage show more pronounced contrasts in the early phase thanin the Mesolithic. Alpine species are represented in sites located in lower altitudes than during the Mesolithic. It isargued that the exploitation of such species as Marmota marmota or Lepus timidus, that are no longer attested inmesolithic assemblage of mountainous sites, if pursued, implies a change, at least in the mobility pattern of the humangroups. Assumptions are presented relatively to the frequentation of high altitudes territories where sites are known butwithout faunal material. The analysis of seasonality data show no significative change during the whole sequence. Noclear differences appear in the seasons of occupation between low altitude sites (under 700 m) and mountainous sites(up to 1,700 rn ), although indices of winter occupations are not attested in the later. The anatomical distribution for themain species, wild (reddeer, ibex) and domestic (cattle, caprines), from sites of different periods and contexts are thencomparecl. Two significant types of curves have been displayed that contrast most of the Epipaleolithic et Mesolithicassemblages with the Neolithic ones. Une revue critique des données archéozooJogiques disponibles pour les Alpes du Nord et le Jura estprésentée. Elle vise à caractériser les modalités d'occupation des sites et à mieux comprendre l'exploitation des territoiresde l'Épipaléolithique au Néolithique ancien (entre 12 000 et 6 500 BP non calibré). La comparaison entre spectresfauniques montre des contrastes plus marqués durant les phases anciennes qu'au Mésolithique. L'exploitation d'espècescomme la ...