The view from Starosele: faunal exploitation at a middle palaeolithic site in western Crimea

The study of faunal assemblages from Middle Palaeolithic sites has been the focus of much debate in recent years. The debate has mostly centred around a number of important, interrelated issues dealing with the mode of faunal exploitation (hunting or scavenging), evidence for intentional prey selection, the specific hunting techniques used, where and how processing took place, and finally, patterns of seasonality. This paper contributes to this debate through an examination of the evidence for faunal exploitation from the Middle Palaeolithic site of Starosele (Western Crimea, Ukraine). A primary strategy of directed, seasonal exploitation of large game animals, possibly through the use of drives, combined with a secondary strategy of opportunistic hunting and/or scavenging is suggested for this site. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.