Foraging Goals and Transport Decisions in Western Europe during the Paleolithic and Early Holocene

Abstract

In Eurasia, most studies of skeletal representation in prehistoric ungulate assemblages have used the FUI (Food Utility Index) as an interpretive model. Here, we test the explanatory power of this and other utility indices which focus on marrow, grease, and dried meat, by examining 167 cervid, equid, large bovine, and caprine assemblages dating from the Lower Paleolithic through to the early Holocene. For this analysis, we considered extant utility models, along with new indices that we created using data from the literature. Relationships with overall food utility are generally weak in the sample, which means that alternative utility models are necessary for explaining skeletal patterns in the assemblages. Moreover, contrary to our expectation, differences between shelter and open air assemblages are not pronounced. Lastly, our study indicates that density-mediated attrition and the type of measure used to estimate skeletal abundances can substantially influence correlations with the utility models.