Did Homo erectus kill a Pelorovis herd at BK (Olduvai Gorge)? A taphonomic study of BK5

Abstract

New research and excavations at Bell Korongo (BK, Olduvai Gorge, Upper Bed II) have uncovered a dense concentration of megafauna that contributes to our understanding of Homo erectus subsistence strategies around 1.34 Ma. Recent work has yielded clear taphonomic evidence for the exploitation of large-sized animals. The frequency and distribution of cut marks, for example, indicates that hominins enjoyed early access to substantial amounts of meat. This degree of carcass processing, particularly megafauna, suggests that the human group(s) exploiting them were large and had significant nutritional needs. Here, we build upon this work by presenting the first comprehensive taphonomic analysis of the faunal material excavated by the Leakeys at BK between 1952 and 1957 corresponding to 24 Pelorovis oldowayensis. Leakey's assemblage was biased due to selective collection of the most readily identifiable specimens, among which long bone shafts were not included. The recent assemblage reflects the relevance of using long bone shafts to overcome the equifinality of the alternative scenarios proposed to explain the accumulation of Pelorovis. The analysis of The Olduvai Paleoanthropology and Paleoecology Project's (TOPPP) recent assemblage sheds light on the reconstruction of hominin strategies of carcass acquisition at BK.

A new approach to raw material use in the exploitation of animal carcasses at BK (Upper Bed II, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania): a micro‐photogrammetric and geometric morphometric analysis of fossil cut marks

“…The bone assemblage at BK is composed of a large amount of faunal remains representing a wide array of taxa, of which Bovidae, Equidae and Suidae are the most abundant groups, and ostrich eggshells and megafaunal remains are unusually plentiful (Dom ınguez- Rodrigo et al 2009aRodrigo et al , 2014bOrganista et al 2015).…”

“…Taphonomic studies (Dom ınguez-Rodrigo et al 2009a, 2014bOrganista et al 2015) suggest that the assemblage at BK is the result of several depositional events widely separated in time, including natural deaths (probably large game) and hunted and transported animals (small-to medium-sized animals) that were primarily processed by hominins. Taphonomic studies (Dom ınguez-Rodrigo et al 2009a, 2014bOrganista et al 2015) suggest that the assemblage at BK is the result of several depositional events widely separated in time, including natural deaths (probably large game) and hunted and transported animals (small-to medium-sized animals) that were primarily processed by hominins.…”

“…1). Over the last decade, The Olduvai Paleoanthropology and Paleoecology Project (TOPPP) resumed the excavations at BK in the area adjacent to Leakey's trenches, exposing several discrete archaeological levels and 13 geological levels that together sample a river bar where the edge of the alluvial plain meets the river channel as indicated by the presence of fine-grained sediments (Organista et al 2015).…”

“…These six archaeological levels are mainly composed of clay, silts and sands (from very coarse to very find sand). The archaeological levels also vary in thickness, ranging from 15 cm to 1 m, and present different concentration patterns, with BK1, BK2, BK3, BK4 and BK5 showing clear horizons where the archaeological materials are discretely concentrated (Dom ınguez-Rodrigo et al 2009a, 2014bOrganista et al 2015).…”

“…Bell's Korongo (BK) is one of the few Bed II sites where a significant consumption of meat can be taphonomically supported in the lower Pleistocene. A large amount of cut and percussion marks have been identified on the skeletal remains recovered from different archaeological levels at the site (Dom ınguez-Rodrigo et al 2007, 2009a, 2014bEgeland & Dom ınguez-Rodrigo 2008;Organista et al 2015).…”