Differential Accumulation of Large Mammal Remains by Carnivores and Humans ...

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Abstract Book
The 22nd Biennial Meeting of the Palaeontological Society
of southern Africa
8 - 13 September 2024, Graaff-Reinet, Eastern Cape
Differential Accumulation of Large Mammal
Remains by Carnivores and Humans during the
Middle Stone Age in the Eastern and Western
Cape, South Africa
During the Middle Stone Age (MSA), humans
occupied several cave sites in southern
Africa. Faunal remains of large mammals are
commonly found at these MSA sites.
Additionally, many faunal accumulations
have been excavated that were collected by
carnivores such as leopards and brown
hyenas. Building on the seminal research of
CK Brain, we use the ratios of animal
remains from MSA sites in the Eastern and
Western Cape provinces of South Africa to
investigate the contribution of specimens
accumulated by carnivores versus hominins.
In particular, we calculate the
carnivore–ungulate and leopard indices.
Our results indicate that the two indices
can distinguish between carnivore and
anthropogenic accumulations. High values of
the carnivore–ungulate ratio indicate
samples accumulated by brown hyenas, whereas
those assemblages with high leopard index
values point to leopards as the main
accumulator of faunal remains. Conversely,
the carnivore–ungulate and leopard ratio
values are low for samples accumulated
mostly by humans.