Mesolithic landscapes and where to hunt big game: everywhere or ???

As much as ‘hunting’ is a central theme in archaeological hunter-gatherer research, aslittle do we actually know about the specificities of hunting strategies and how this hasinfluenced the cultural structuring of landscapes. It is often assumed that game washunted anywhere, but the question is whether this was the case. Firstly, the archaeological picture of hunting practices and technology is biased by the overrepresentation of sites characterised by quantities of knapped lithics – the interpretation of sites with no or only little lithics is difficult, notably due to the fact that non-lithic materials are often not preserved. Secondly, there is an underestimation of the importance of non-lithic material culture directly or indirectly related to hunting and landscape exploitation. Thirdly, hunting can encompass various strategies, which are associated with different uses of materials and structures in different parts of the landscape. Choices that have been made will certainly have depended on the knowledge about animal behaviour and landscape structure, with an important role for rivers, lakes and seashores. Taking differences in geographical and environmental conditions, as well as variability in hunting strategies and technology into consideration, this paper attempts to identify some tendencies withregard to the hunting of key species of big game (reindeer/caribou; elk/moose; red deer; roe deer; wild boar) in Mesolithic/Late Stone Age landscapes in north-western Europe. The most important aspects of the behaviour of these species are discussed, notably seasonal variations with regard to group composition, occurrence in the landscape, and daily feeding and drinking patterns. Next, we discuss aspects of hunting, notably the establishment of the presence of game, the spotting and approaching prey, and the wounding and following of prey. This is followed by a brief look at the archaeological evidence for big game hunting and aspects of landscape structure in the Mesolithic of north-western Europe. In this context, the presence of sites with deep pits in various part of the region is particularly interesting in contrast to sites characterised by high densities of lithics. Drawing from these insights, we discuss some factors that may have influenced the emergence of archaeological patterns of geographical diversity in parts of Scandinavia and the Netherlands, corresponding to landscape zones with relatively high densities of lithics, in contrast to sites and landscape zones with no or very few lithics

Mesolithic landscapes and where to hunt big game: everywhere or???

International audienceAs much as ‘hunting’ is a central theme in archaeological hunter-gatherer research, aslittle do we actually know about the specificities of hunting strategies and how this hasinfluenced the cultural structuring of landscapes. It is often assumed that game washunted anywhere, but the question is whether this was the case. Firstly, the archaeologicalpicture of hunting practices and technology is biased by the overrepresentation of sitescharacterised by quantities of knapped lithics – the interpretation of sites with no oronly little lithics is difficult, notably due to the fact that non-lithic materials are often notpreserved. Secondly, there is an underestimation of the importance of non-lithic materialculture directly or indirectly related to hunting and landscape exploitation. Thirdly,hunting can encompass various strategies, which are associated with different uses ofmaterials and structures in different parts of the landscape. Choices that have been madewill certainly have depended on the knowledge about animal behaviour and landscapestructure, with an important role for rivers, lakes and seashores. Taking differences ingeographical and environmental conditions, as well as variability in hunting strategiesand technology into consideration, this paper attempts to identify some tendencies withregard to the hunting of key species of big game (reindeer/caribou; elk/moose; red deer;roe deer; wild boar) in Mesolithic/Late Stone Age landscapes in north-western Europe.The most important aspects of the behaviour of these species are discussed, notablyseasonal variations with regard to group composition, occurrence in the landscape,and daily feeding and drinking patterns. Next, we discuss aspects of hunting, notablythe establishment of the presence of game, the spotting and approaching prey, and thewounding and following of prey. This is followed by a brief look at the archaeologicalevidence for big game hunting and aspects of landscape structure in the Mesolithic ofnorth-western Europe. In this context, the presence of sites with deep pits in various partof the region is particularly interesting in contrast to sites characterised by high densitiesof lithics. Drawing from these insights, we discuss some factors that may have influenced the emergence of archaeological patterns of geographical diversity in parts of Scandinaviaand the Netherlands, corresponding to landscape zones with relatively high densities oflithics, in contrast to sites and landscape zones with no or very few lithics