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dAf 27

JAUBERT Jacques, LORBLANCHET Michel, LAVILLE Henri

Les chasseurs d'Aurochs de La Borde

Un site du Paléolithique moyen (Livernon, Lot)

This study in paleo-ethnology constitutes a decisive contribution to knowledge of lifestyles during the Middle Paleolithic and the relationships of Man with his animal and mineral environments. The La Borde aven is one of the first, if not indeed the first French deposit from this period, for which it has been possible to demonstrate more or less systematic exploitation of a single large herbivore, the Aurochs. In spite of the difficult conditions of an urgent rescue excavation, a multidisciplinary team associating researchers from the Ministère de la Culture, from the CNRS and the Universities carried out a study based on stratigraphic analysis and lithic and faunal remains; these lead the authors from a discussion of the type of site (natural trap, waste site or dwelling-site) to an examination of Paleolithic subsistance strategies (scavenging, hunting or mixed economy) and a definition of territories occupied and tool management concepts.

Abstract

Abstract

Discovery of a large deposit of lithic and faunal remains during the building of a pumping station near the La Borde farm (Livernon, Lot) led Monsieur Lorblanchet to mount an urgent rescue excavation in spring 1971, followed by systematic study of spoil from the site over several years.

The site lies on a limestone plateau forming part of the Causses de Quercy, on the eastern border of the Bassin aquitain. Construction work had already destroyed a large part of the filling of an aven, but section mapping and spot excavations made it possible to establish the stratigraphie sequence and confirm that an remains belonged to a single thick archaeological layer.

The sedimentological study carried out in the difficult context of the time allows definition of the type of deposit and its transformation through colluvial action, which shifted the remains in situ. Compaction and concretionment affected a considerable portion of the sequence.

Large mammaIs are abundant, more than 93% of animal remains being those of Aurochs (Bos primigenius). Detailed paleolontological study of these has contributed new and original elements to current knowledge of Aurochs dentition, and allowed a more specific definition of the structure and size of their population (MNI= 40). Associated species include horse (Equus caballus), hydruntine horse (Equus hydruntinus), red deer (Cervus elaphus) and wolf (Canis lupus) and indicate a temperate period related either to the last interglacial (isotopic stage 5) or more likely to an anterior stage (stage 7).

The lithic industry, essentially concentrating on quartz, belongs to the Middle Paleolithic, and is characterized by the presence of particular features (notches, denticulates and polyhedrons) possibly related to specific activities. Waste flakes (lineal and centripetal) corresponding to the Levallois technique are present, together with a few flint scrapers of local or exotic origin.

Archaeozoological analysis supplies complementary data enabling speculation on the function of the site and its role in the activities of the Mousterian hunters. It seems to have been used repeatedly for non-seasonal occupation recurring throughout the year, no doubt for a specific purpose : the capturing of Aurochs young and females. This is therefore not so much a dwelling-site as a hunting centre, inhabited for periods whose length is difficult to estimate. The hunting strategy involved demonstrates well thought out exploitation and thorough knowledge of the environment, very different from simple opportunistic behaviour, on the part of La Borde Man. Other Middle Paleolithic sites in South-West France (Coudoulous, Mauran) also show similar focused hunting use, but this time for bison. Rapid comparison with Holocene sites in North America show them to differ considerably.

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