What mean these Bones ? Behavioral implications of gazelles' remains from archaeological sites

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Abstract
The significance of animal behavioral patterns is a factor frequently overlooked by archaeologists attempting to interpret faunal remains from a site. In many Near Eastern sites, gazelle remains form a significant portion of the faunal assemblages. Several authors have generated models to explain this phenomenon but they have largely ignored behavioral parameters. Behavioral data are presented on living gazelle populations from Israel. Topics considered include birth patterns, migration, social structure and territoriality. Considerable variability is observed in these behavioral modes. Rather than attempting to postulate largely unfounded models, such as domestication or climatic amelioration, the acknowledgment of this variability may well explain the presence of gazelle remains in sites. It is concluded that the arachaeologist must be cognizant of such behavioral modes before attempting to generate explanatory models.

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