Let the cutmarks speak! Experimental butchery to reconstruct carcass processing

This paper presents data on cutmarks obtained through experimental butchery performed within a collective project called “des Traces & des Hommes”. Eighteen half-carcasses of red deer (Cervus elaphus) were processed using replicas of Middle Palaeolithic stone tools. The butchery complied with a strict protocol to allow the activity that produced each cutmark to be identified with confidence. The gestures of the butcher and every instance of contact between the tools and bones were also recorded. Each bone has been analyzed using a magnifying lens, and the cutmarks have been recorded on graphic templates of the bones. Comparison of our experimental data with the other available reference sets highlights several differences and important issues potentially leading to misinterpretation of butchering activities in archaeological contexts. In order to improve our ability to document butchering patterns, we introduce an updated, more complete and more detailed version of the cutmark coding system created by Binford (1981) and later supplemented by Nilssen (2000). The experiments conducted also allowed us to expand our understanding of some poorly documented activities, such as tendon-extraction and skinning.