Grotte du Bison (Level I)
Basic information
Sample name: Grotte du Bison (Level I)

Sample aka: Arcy-sur-Cure

Reference: J. G. Enloe. 2011. Middle Palaeolithic cave taphonomy: discerning humans from hyenas at Arcy-sur-Cure, France. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 22(5):591-602 [ER 3088]
Geography
Country: France


Coordinate: 47° 35' 30" N, 3° 45' 59" E
Coordinate basis: based on nearby landmark

Time interval: Late Pleistocene

Min Ma: 0.0402

Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)

Geography comments: coordinate based on Caves of Arcy-sur-Cure
"Middle Palaeolithic" and the overlying level F has a date of 40,200 +/- 1500 ybp (presumed to be uncalibrated because the error is symmetrically distributed)

Environment
Lithology: sandstone

Taphonomic context: cave

Archaeology: stone tools

Habitat comments: "The lithic assemblage of Level I is a denticulate Mousterian" and "corresponds to middle Peniglacial climatic conditions and probably dates to around 50 000 or more years ago... Geologically, this level is not homogeneous, ranging from a very thin, clayey-sand matrix with dense archaeological and faunal remains in the low gallery to the north, to a thick, sandy‐silt matrix with large limestone blocks and slabs from the collapse of the cave entrance roof"

Methods
Life forms: carnivores,rodents,ungulates,other small mammals

Sampling methods: quarry,screenwash

Sample size: 1444 specimens

Years: 2006 - 2008

Sampling comments: "Excavation was commenced in 1995... All sediments were water screened through fine 2-mm mesh" and the reported material was recovered from 2006 to 2008

Metadata
Sample number: 3366

Contributor: John Alroy

Enterer: John Alroy

Created: 2019-08-27 10:06:57

Modified: 2023-04-03 09:17:31

Abundance distribution
14 species
1 singleton
total count 1444
geometric series index: 16.6
Fisher's α: 2.150
geometric series k: 0.6206
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.7630
Shannon's H: 1.7538
Good's u: 0.9993
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
Register
Equus ferus453422 kg
"Equus germanicus" (questionably referred)
Rangifer tarandus49469 kg browser
Crocuta sp.123
"Crocuta crocuta": possibly C. spelaea
Vulpes vulpes805.3 kg carnivore-insectivore
Ursus spelaeus125
Bison priscus67
Canis lupus4743 kg carnivore
Cervus elaphus8104 kg
Mammuthus primigenius21
Rupicapra rupicapra827 kg browser-grazer
Marmota marmota5
Lepus sp.10
Panthera sp.1
Coelodonta antiquitatis2