Analysis of Elandsfontein and Duinefontein Faunal Remains

Klein博士和Cruz.Uribe博士将分析在南非西部开普省的三个更新世遗址收集的动物材料。其中最大的Elandsfontein是一个大型分层遗址，经过几十年的检查，发现了数千件动物物品，以及原始人头骨和石器。尽管该遗址不能确定准确的年代，但其更早的组成部分属于中更新世，大约在50万年前，而其上层单位则晚于这一时间。其中一些物质可能是人类活动造成的，而另一些则可以归因于其他原因，如食肉动物的死亡。在该地区的另外两个地点，Duinefontein和SpringFontein，也发现了较小的组合。在他们的分析中，克莱因博士和克鲁兹·乌里韦博士将确定所代表的物种。他们还将研究骨头上的断裂、割伤和其他痕迹，试图确定原因。这项工作将实现几个重要目标。首先，它将增加对过去100万年来非洲哺乳动物进化的了解，并为与遗址的相对关联提供基础。其次，它将进一步阐明非洲早期的人类活动，并澄清狩猎在这些社会中的作用。最后，它将有助于制定标准，以确定人类是否在特定骨骼组合的积累中发挥了作用。这项研究之所以重要，有几个原因。这些藏品构成了重要的考古和古生物资源，尚未得到适当的研究。这项工作将补救这种情况。它还将帮助考古学家开发一套重要的分析工具，这些工具将在世界许多地方有用。

Drs. Klein and Cruz.Uribe will analyze faunal materials collected at three Pleistocene sites located in the western Cape Province of South Africa. The largest of these, Elandsfontein, is a large stratified site which over several decades of examination has yielded thousands of faunal items, as well as a hominid skull and stone tools. Although the site cannot be precisely dated, its earlier component falls within the Middle Pleistocene, roughly 500,000 years ago, while its upper unit postdates this time. Some of the materials probably result from human activity while others can be attributed to other causes such as carnivore kills. At two other sites in the region, Duinefontein and Springfontein, smaller assemblages have also been recovered. In their analysis, Drs. Klein and Cruz.Uribe will identify species represented. They will also study the break, cut and other marks on the bone in an attempt to determine causal factors. The work will accomplish several important goals. First, it will increase understanding of mammal evolution in Africa over the last million years and provide a basis for relative correlation with sites. Second, it will shed additional light on early human activities in Africa and clarify the role of hunting in these societies. Finally, it will help develop standards to determine whether humans played a role in the accumulation of specific bone assemblages. This research is important for several reasons. These collections constitute an important archaeological and paleontological resource and have not been properly studied. This work will remedy that situation. It will also help archaeologists to develop an important set of analytical tools which will be useful in many parts of the world.