Perinatal ovicaprine remains and evidence of shepherding activities in Early Holocene enclosure caves: El Mirador (Sierra De Atapuerca, Spain)

We found that in El Mirador cave fetal and neonatal remains were present on most levels. The fetal remains exhibit mortality ratios similar to current-day sheep flocks. Spontaneous abortion was probably caused by different non-human causes (diseases, stress, intoxication, etc.). The neonatal remains reflect mortality ratios that could be linked both to unintentional factors (diseases, weak lamb births, etc.) and to the human management of the flock.