Human-Animal Interactions at Korman’ 9, Ukraine

The maximum ice sheet expansions of the Last Glacial Maximum between 26.5 and 22 ka cal BP (e. g., the maximum glacial extents Leszno and Frankfurt) are followed by a succession of interstadial (e. g., Cosăuţi V Interstadial) and stadial conditions toward the end of the Late Pleniglacial. This period is generally thought to have witnesses a European-wide decline in population density, and is characterized by a scarcity of sites. Here, we report on one such site, Korman’ 9, Archaeological Layer (AL) I, dated to ca. 21.9 ka cal BP located in the Dniester valley. The archaeology — assigned to the Epigravettian — is situated in a pedogenesis horizon consistent with the Cosăuţi V Interstadial. Here we describe the human-animal interaction based on faunal evidence comprising both dietary as well as secondary exploitation of the faunal remains. Analyses include spatial distribution of the bones, the interplay of carnivore and human mediation of the faunal assemblage. In particular we describe human modifications both in terms of dietary exploitation as well as organic technology. Our results indicate that Epigravettian hunter-gatherers were the main accumulator of the faunal assemblage, whereas carnivores had only secondary access. All recovered taxa show traces of human exploitation. Horse, reindeer and hare were exploited for dietary purposes shown by evidence for skinning, dismembering and filleting. There is evidence for on-site working of reindeer antler and a needle fragment attests of bone tool technology. Fox teeth, freshwater and fossil shells were used as beads for personal ornamentation. Thus, in addition to dietary exploitation, animal remains formed a common and diverse part of socio-economic behaviour and were well-incorporated in hunter-gatherer technological and symbolic expression during the Korman’ 9, AL I, Epigravettian

Antler · Carnivore · Glacial period · Homo sapiens · Pleistocene · Population · Stadial · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Geology and Paleoclimatology Research · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology

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