ARCHAEOZOOLOGY

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Large mammals from Upper Pleistocene Divje babe I cave site

Valley of the River Idrijca; the Divje babe I site is marked by circle.

Extensive archaeological excavations at the Palaeolithic site of Divje babe I revealed a rich large mammal fauna. The great majority of more than 100,000 remains were those of the cave bear, but at least 20 other species of large mammals were also represented in the studied assemblage. Noteworthy is the find of otter, being reported for the first time in the Pleistocene of Slovenia. By studying the stratigraphical distribution of various indicator species (i.e. Alopex lagopus, Martes martes, Capra ibex, Sus scrofa) features of the physical environment surrounding Divje babe I in OIS 5 and OIS 3 were inferred.

Cave lion remains from Divje babe I.

The presence of cave bear remains in Divje babe I is to be connected with natural mortality during hibernation. Herbivore remains, on the other hand, were mostly brought into the cave by man and large carnivores. The latter are supposed to have occasionally used the cave as a lair, since juvenile specimens are relatively numerous. As detail taphonomical analyses showed, carnivores often scavenged on man’s food waste. Evidence for scavenging of man is, on the other hand, scarce.

Relevant publications

• TOŠKAN, Borut. Climate and cave bear body size : strong relationship or just a flirt? Stalactite, 2008, 58 (2), str. 35-41.
• TOŠKAN, Borut (urednik). Drobci ledenodobnega okolja : zbornik ob življenjskem jubileju Ivana Turka = Fragments of ice age environments : proceedings in honour of Ivan Turk's jubilee, (Opera Instituti Archaeologici Sloveniae, 21). Ljubljana: Inštitut za arheologijo ZRC SAZU, Založba ZRC, 2011. 276 str. http://iza2.zrc-sazu.si/sites/default/files/9789612542573.pdf.
• TURK, Ivan, DIRJEC, Janez. Taksonomski in tafonomski pregled sesalske makrofavne = Taxonomic and taphonomic survey of mammal macrofauna. In: TURK, Ivan (ur.), BASTIANI, Giuliano, TURK, Ivan. Moustérienska "koščena piščal" in druge najdbe iz Divjih babI v Sloveniji = Mousterian "Bone Flute" and other Finds from Divje babe I - Cave Site in Slovenia, (Opera Instituti archaeologici Sloveniae, 2). Ljubljana: Znanstvenoraziskovalni center SAZU, 1997, str. 99-113.
• TURK, Ivan, DIRJEC, Janez. Tafonomija dolgih cevastih kosti okončin jamskega medveda = Taphonomy of limb bones of cave bear. V: TURK, Ivan (ur.), BASTIANI, Giuliano, TURK, Ivan. Moustérienska "koščena piščal" in druge najdbe iz Divjih bab I v Sloveniji, (Opera Instituti archaeologici Sloveniae, 2). Ljubljana: Znanstvenoraziskovalni center SAZU, 1997, str. 115-118.
• TOŠKAN, Borut. Ostanki velikih sesalcev iz Divjih bab I : stratigrafija, taksonomija in biometrija / Remains of large mammals from Divje babe I - Stratigraphy, taxonomy and biometry. V: TURK, Ivan (ur.). Divje babe I : paleolitsko najdišče mlajšega pleistocena v Sloveniji : upper Pleistocene palaeolithic site in Slovenia, (Opera Instituti archaeologici Sloveniae, 13). Ljubljana: Inštitut za arheologijo ZRC SAZU: Založba ZRC, 2007-, 2007, del 1: Geologija in paleontologija, str. 221-278, ilustr., graf. prikazi, tab., pril. [COBISS.SI-ID 26968877]
• TURK, Ivan, DIRJEC, Janez. Jamski medved v najdišču Divje babe I : tafonomsko-stratigrafska analiza / Cave bear at the Divje babe I site: taphonomic-stratigraphics analysis. V: TURK, Ivan (ur.). Divje babe I : paleolitsko najdišče mlajšega pleistocena v Sloveniji : upper Pleistocene palaeolithic site in Slovenia, (Opera Instituti archaeologici Sloveniae, 13). Ljubljana: Inštitut za arheologijo ZRC SAZU: Založba ZRC, 2007-, 2007, del 1: Geologija in paleontologija, str. 279-339, ilustr. [COBISS.SI-ID 26937645]

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