Shoot First, Ask Questions Later: interpretative Narratives of Neanderthal Hunting

White, M.J.; Pettitt, P.B.; Schreve, D.C.

Abstract

This paper examines the hunting strategies employed by Neanderthals at a series of kill or near-kill sites from the Middle Palaeolithic of Europe (Mauran, La Borde, Taubach, Zwoleń and Salzgitter Lebenstedt). Using palaeolandscape reconstructions and animal ethology as our context, we adopt a multifaceted approach that views hunting as a chaîne opératoire involving the decisions and actions of both the hunter and the hunted, which together help reconstruct a forensic picture of past events as they unfolded. Our conclusions indicate that Neanderthals did not necessarily pre-select individuals from a herd, who they then isolated, pursued and killed, but rather ambushed whole groups, which they slaughtered indiscriminately. There is strong evidence, however, that Neanderthals were highly selective in the carcasses they then chose to process. Our conclusions suggest that Neanderthals were excellent tacticians, casual executioners and discerning diners.

Citation

White, M., Pettitt, P., & Schreve, D. (2016). Shoot First, Ask Questions Later: interpretative Narratives of Neanderthal Hunting. Quaternary Science Reviews, 140, 1-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.03.004

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Mar 3, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Mar 26, 2016
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2016
• Deposit Date: Mar 8, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 26, 2017
• Journal: Quaternary Science Reviews
• Print ISSN: 0277-3791
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-457X
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 140
• Pages: 1-20
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.03.004
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1417603