Una diversificación temprana de la dieta cárnica: el caso de la Cova del Bolomor (MIS 9-5e, Tavernes de la Valdigna, Valencia)

Abstract

The exploitation strategies of faunal resources have taken a prominent place in discussions about the origin and nature of modern human behavior. Within these, the systematic use of small animals has been a central issue in recent years. Evidence of anthropogenic processing of small prey dates back to Plio-Pleistocene chronologies in Africa; however, its systematic exploitation is not detected in the archaeological record until more recent periods and linked to anatomically modern humans. Despite this, the evidence of consumption of these animals among Neanderthal lineage hominids has multiplied exponentially during last years, especially in the Mediterranean basin. In this study, we present the zooarchaeological data from four levels (XVII, XII, XI and IV) of the stratigraphic sequence of Bolomor Cave (MIS 9-5e, Tavernes de la Valldigna, Valencia, Spain) with the aim of providing a diachronic view of the meat diet in this site and contribute with specific data to the general debate on the diversification of the diet.