·      Detoxification, processing and cooking plant foods

·      Storage for food and water

·      Prestige goods used in rituals and feasts

Archaeofauna 

Relative contribution to diet

Faunal quantification

-Any animal bones found in an archaeogical site

-Size as an idenfying factor, shape (compare bone to the norm, research that has already been done

-Faunal quantification is dependent on fragmentation, species and types of body types

NISP

MNI

-number of identifiable specimen: counts all bones as one unit, including fragmentation, tends to overestimate

-minimum number of individuals: estimates the fewest possible amount of individuals, tends to underestimate

Do 5 NISP deer = 5 NISP rabbits?

Do 5 MNI deer = 5 MNI rabbits?

Domestication

Domestication Characteristics

Evidence of Domestication

-Human modification of the environment and living habits of animals for their benefit. induces genetic change

-o   Valuable to humans

o   Controlled habitat

o   Flexible diet, mostly plant eaters

o   Fast growth

o   Breed in captivity

o   Docility

o   Amenable disposition

o   Sociability, live in herds

·      Evidence of domestication

o  - Presence of animal far from natural habitat

o   Morphological change

§  No horns, etc.

o   Abundance of animal

o   Mortality patterns

o   Documentary evidence

§  Art, etc.

Hard stone hammer

Soft stone hammer 

• Hard Hammer – stone on stone percussion

was used to make simple tools (like 

Oldowan and Achulean) and as first stage of 

reduction process

• Soft Hammer – use of bone, antler or 

hardwood tools to remove thinner flakes 

from partially finished stone tool 

use of antler tine to 

“press off” fine sharpening flakes from 

almost-finished tool edge

Core 

Flake

Blade

Cortex

— the parent chunk of stone from which 

flakes or blades are struck

Flake — the length is typically less than 2 times the  

width (L<2W)

• Blade — the length is typically greater than 2 time 

the width (L>2W) and it has parallel edges

• Cortex — the outer, weathered rind of a stone.  

The presence and amount of cortex left on a 

tool or flake indicates stage of manufacture.

Uniface

Biface 

Uniface — tool made by removing flakes 

from only one side of the parent core or flake 

(e.g., scraper)

Biface — tool made by removing flakes 

two faces of the parent core or flake  (e.g., 

projectile point)

The reductive process of making stone 

tools, especially bifaces, usually 

follows predictable “stages” – step 

by step from raw material to 

finished tool

systematic ordering of 

material culture into types

an individual characteristic 

that distinguishes one artifact from 

another, based on things such as size, texture, 

form, material, manufacture, and design.