Experimental butchering of a chimpanzee carcass for archaeological purposes

Abstract

Two archaeological assemblages from the Sierra de Atapuerca sites show evidence of anthropogenic cannibalism. These are the late Early Pleistocene level TD6-2 at Gran Dolina, and the Bronze Age level MIR4 in the Mirador Cave. Despite the chronological distance between these two assemblages, they share the common feature that the human remains exhibit a high frequency of anthropogenic modifications (cut marks, percussion pits and notches and peeling). This frequency could denote special treatment of bodies, or else be the normal result of the butchering process. In order to test these possibilities, we subjected a chimpanzee carcass to a butchering process. The processing was intensive and intended to simulate preparation for consumption. In doing this, we used several simple flakes made from quartzite and chert from quarries in the Sierra de Atapuerca. The skull, long bones, metapodials and phalanges were also fractured in order to remove the brain and bone marrow. As a result, about 40% of the remains showed some kind of human modification. The frequency, distribution and characteristics of these modifications are very similar to those documented on the remains of Homo antecessor from TD6-2. In case of the MIR4 assemblage, the results are similar except in the treatment of skulls. Our results indicate that high frequencies of anthropogenic modifications are common after an intensive butchering process intended to prepare a hominin body for consumption in different contexts (both where there was possible ritual behavior and where this was not the case and the modifications are not the result of special treatment).

Fig 1. Selection of the quartzite and chert flakes used in the butchery experiment.

a) QTAC19; b) QTAC20; c) QTAC21; d) SNC40; e) SNC41 and f) SNC42.

Fig 2. Explanatory scheme of the different steps followed during the butchering process.

a) Pattern of the slices and direction of the cuts made during the skinning of the carcass. b) Areas in which the dismembered by segments (dashed line) and the disarticulation of elements (continuous line) was performed. c) Areas where bone was broken by percussion (dots) and where the fracture was performed by bending (dashed line).

Fig 3. Examples of cut marks on the chimpanzee sample.

a) Slicing marks on a scapula. b) Slicing marks on the shaft of a chimpanzee femur. c) Another example of slicing marks on an ulna. d) Phalange with cut marks. e) Cut marks on a pisiform. f) Chop marks on a shaft of femur performed during the fracture of the bone.

Fig 4. Distribution of the cut marks on: a) skull, b) mandible, c) vertebrae and d) ribs of the chimpanzee sample.

Fig 5. Examples of bone breakage from the chimpanzee sample.

a) Two fragments resulting from fracture of the chimpanzee’s face. b) Peeling on the rib angles. c) Fragments resulting from fracturing a humerus. d) Percussion impact on a radius. e) Parasite flake products fracturing a femur. f) Percussion pit on femur fragment.g) Breakage of one metapodial (left) and one phalanx (right).

Fig 6. Distribution of the cut marks on fore limb elements.

a) Scapulae, b) humeri, c) radii d) and ulna of the chimpanzee sample.

Fig 7. Distribution of the cut marks on the coxa and hind limb elements.

a) Coxa, b) femurs, c) tibiae d) and fibulae of the chimpanzee sample.

Fig 8. Distribution of the cut marks on metapodials and phalanges of the chimpanzee sample.

Fig 9. Distribution of cut marks on Homo antecessor from TD6–2 elements.

a) skulls, b) mandibles, c) clavicles, d) vertebrae, e) ribs.

Fig 10. Distribution of cut marks on Homo antecessor limb bones.

a) humerus, b) radii, c) ulnae, d) femurs e) tibiae, f) fibula, g) metapodials, e) and phalanges.

Fig 11. Distribution of cut marks on Homo sapiens from MIR4A elements.

a) skulls, b) mandibles, c) clavicles, d) vertebrae, e) ribs, f) and scapulae.

Fig 12. Distribution of cut marks on Homo sapiens from MIR4A limb bones.

a) humerus, b) ulnae, c) tibiae, d) femurs, e) fibula and f) metatarsal.

Fig 13. Multiple Correspondence Analysis of cut mark distribution from experimental chimpanzee elements, Homo antecessor and Cervidae of TD6–2 assemblage and Homo sapiens and ovicaprini of MIR4A assemblages.

Figure captions: A = NISP; B = Maxim number of cut marks on one specimen; C = Skull with cut marks (NISP); D = Mandible with cut marks (NISP); E = Ribs with cut marks (NISP); F = Vertebrae with cut marks (NISP); G = Scapulae with cut marks (NISP); H = Humeri with cut marks (NISP); I = Radii with cut marks (NISP); J = Coxa with cut marks (NISP); K = Femurs with cut marks (NISP); L = Tibiae with cut marks (NISP); M = Metapodials with cut marks (NISP); N = Phalanges with cut marks (NISP); O = Remains with defleshing cut marks; P = Remains with disarticulation cut marks; Q = Remains with skinning cut marks; R = Remains with peeling; S = Remains with percussion marks; T = Total of remains with anthropogenic modifications