Direkli Cave
Basic information
Sample name: Direkli Cave
Reference: B. S. Arbuckle and C. M. Erek. 2010. Late Epipaleolithic hunters of the central Taurus: Faunal remains from Direkli Cave, Kahramanmaras, Turkey. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology 22(6):694-707 [ER 3829]
Geography
Country: Turkey
Coordinate: 37.85° N, 36.64° E
Coordinate basis: estimated from map
Time interval: Holocene
Max Ma: 0.01048
Min Ma: 0.0095
Age basis: radiocarbon (calibrated)
Geography comments: "70 km northwest of the city of Kahramanmaraş near the village of Döngel... in a tributary valley of the Tekir river" (not the same as the town of Döngel in northern Turkey)
coordinate based on the town of Döngel on Terik Creek
there are "eight archaeological layers, with layers 3–8 representing late Epipaleolithic"
the faunal sample is "from Geological Horizon II and Archaeological levels 4–8"
there are uncalibrated radiocarbon dates from the upper layers 3-5 of 9660 +/- 40, 9500 +/- 40, and 10,480 +/- 60 bp
the lithic elements indicate an Epipaleolithic age
coordinate based on the town of Döngel on Terik Creek
there are "eight archaeological layers, with layers 3–8 representing late Epipaleolithic"
the faunal sample is "from Geological Horizon II and Archaeological levels 4–8"
there are uncalibrated radiocarbon dates from the upper layers 3-5 of 9660 +/- 40, 9500 +/- 40, and 10,480 +/- 60 bp
the lithic elements indicate an Epipaleolithic age
Environment
Lithology: not described
Taphonomic context: cave,human accumulation
Archaeology: stone tools
Habitat comments: a "small cave (12 × 13 m)"
there is a "dominance of microlithic elements, especially lunates and backed bladelets"
"Large carnivores represent less than 1% of the Direkli assemblage, effectively ruling them out as significant bone accumulators" and "human agency was the major factor in the formation of the faunal assemblage" based on detailed taphonomic analysis
the site is interpreted as a "short-term logistical camp designed to intercept wild goats"
there is a "dominance of microlithic elements, especially lunates and backed bladelets"
"Large carnivores represent less than 1% of the Direkli assemblage, effectively ruling them out as significant bone accumulators" and "human agency was the major factor in the formation of the faunal assemblage" based on detailed taphonomic analysis
the site is interpreted as a "short-term logistical camp designed to intercept wild goats"
Methods
Life forms: carnivores,rodents,ungulates,other small mammals,birds,snakes,turtles,fishes,crustaceans
Sampling methods: quarry,screenwash
Sample size: 816 specimens
Years: 2007
Sampling comments: "excavations at Direkli cave recommenced in 2007 under the direction of C. M. Erek"
there was "wet sieving of all excavated sediments using nested screens of 5, 3 and 1 mm"
there was "wet sieving of all excavated sediments using nested screens of 5, 3 and 1 mm"
Metadata
Sample number: 4178
Contributor: John Alroy
Enterer: John Alroy
Created: 2023-03-23 19:11:24
Modified: 2023-03-23 08:11:24
Abundance distribution
24 species
7 singletons
total count 816
geometric series index: 38.7
Fisher's α: 4.637
geometric series k: 0.7708
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.7163
Shannon's H: 1.8141
Good's u: 0.9914
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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| Ovis sp. | 11 | |
| also 301 Ovis or Capra specimens | ||
| Capra aegagrus | 135 | 22 kg browser-grazer |
| "wild goat" (not hircus) | ||
| Capreolus capreolus | 10 | 22 kg browser |
| also 316 bovid or cervid | ||
| Dama dama | 29 | 62 kg |
| Cervus elaphus | 8 | 142 kg browser-grazer |
| Sus scrofa | 6 | 54 kg herbivore |
| not domesticus | ||
| Martes foina | 20 | 1.3 kg carnivore-frugivore |
| Mustela putorius | 1 | 681 g carnivore |
| Meles meles | 1 | 10 kg invertivore-herbivore |
| Felis sp. | 1 | |
| "wild cat" | ||
| Vulpes vulpes | 4 | 5.3 kg carnivore-insectivore |
| Canis sp. | 2 | |
| "wolf" or "dog" | ||
| Ursus arctos | 12 | 156 kg frugivore-carnivore |
| Castor fiber | 3 | |
| Spalax sp. | 62 | |
| also 47 "rodents" | ||
| Meriones sp. | 1 | |
| Arvicola sp. | 1 | |
| questionably referred | ||
| Talpa sp. | 1 | |
| Lepus capensis | 17 | |
| Testudo graeca | 398 | |
| Serpentes indet. | 6 | |
| "snake" | ||
| Osteichthyes indet. | 8 | |
| "fish" | ||
| Aves indet. | 78 | |
| "birds" | ||
| Crustacea indet. | 1 | |
| "crustaceans" | ||