Archaeozoological evidence of subsistence strategies during the Gravettian at Riparo Mochi (Balzi Rossi, Ventimiglia, Imperia - Italy)

This paper presents the results of the archaeozoological and taphonomic study on a sample of about 55,000 bone remains collected in the Gravettian occupation levels (Layer D) of Riparo Mochi (Balzi Rossi, Ventimiglia - Italy). Humans are the main agent responsible for the accumulation of the faunal remains as indicated by the presence of impact cones, butchering striae, burned bones and by the almost complete absence of carnivore traces. The faunal assemblage includes an association rich in artiodactyls and, to a lesser extent, lagomorphs, rodents, and carnivores adapted to different environments and climates. Hunting focused mainly on red deer and ibex, and the site was occupied mainly during winter-spring. The whole faunal sample was divided into "phases" in order to recognize possible paleontological, paleoecological, and palaeoeconomic variations which may have occurred in the area of the rock-shelter during the investigated period.