Dolní Věstonice I (Pavlovian, the Czech Republic) – Results of zooarchaeological studies of the animal remains discovered on the campsite (excavation 1924–52)

The Dolní Věstonice I site is one of the most significant Pavlovian localities known from southern Moravia. Numerous lithic and osseous tools were discovered in different areas, associated with a vast assemblage of animal bones collected from the surface of the entire site. The materials in this study come from the upper part of the site (excavations carried out 1924–28 and 1948–52) where five dwelling structures were described, accompanied by fireplaces and mammoth bone concentrations. This area is located close to a huge mammoth bone accumulation in a natural depression. The faunal composition discovered at Dolní Věstonice I is typical for other Pavlovian localities primarily known from southern Moravia. The percentage of mammoth remains is high, although they do not dominate in this assemblage. Cut marks on mammoth bones discovered during the studies clearly show that the meat of these animals was consumed, but in addition to mammoth, an extremely important role in the subsistence practices was also played by reindeer, horse, and carnivores, which account for around 40% of the complete identifiable assemblage. Cut marks are found on numerous bones of carnivores, especially wolf and wolverine. We conclude that the carnivores, in addition to other taxa commonly discovered at Palaeolithic sites, were an important component of the diet of Pavlovian hunters.