Holocene environment and subsistence patterns from Capsian and Neolithic sites in Tunisia

Faunal analysis was carried out on four Holocene Tunisian prehistoric sites from both Capsian and Neolithic cultures. Capsian hunting strategies from the examination of prey selection and carcass exploitation were investigated from two sites: Bir Hmairiya and SHM-1. Capsian populations showed great adaptability to their physical environment. At SHM-1 and Bir Hmairiya, prehistoric populations developed subsistence strategies focused on hunting of a wide range of local wild prey with more exploitation of medium and small mammals, especially hartebeest and gazelle with additional exploitation of food resources from other terrestrial mammals and land snails. Cultural and economic patterns indicate that these hunters-gatherers populations were using long-term occupation sites, a mode of sedentary lifestyle during the Capsian. The Neolithic economy is documented through archaeozoological studies of faunal remains from two sites: Kef el Agab and Doukanet el Khoutifa. Neolithic populations kept the same lifestyle as the Capsian tradition but with gradual investment in meat, milk, and wool production. Comparing Kef el Agab and Doukanet el Khoutifa, patterns of mammal exploitation do not display great differences. The occupants practiced hunting and gathered land snails. The main change lies in the increase in Ovicaprid remains at Doukanet el Khoutifa, which would suggest a greater control of breeding activity. Pastoralism was already established at Doukanet el Khoutifa by the first half of the 7th millennium cal BP. This pastoralism involved more sheep and goat than bovines, but without dog or pig.