The exploitation of hunted resources during the Magdalenian in the Cantabrian region. Systematization of butchery processes at Coímbre cave (Asturias, Spain)

Abstract Taphonomic studies have experienced a considerable development in the Cantabrian region during the last few years. These studies have demonstrated that Magdalenian hunter-gatherers had a significant role in the formation of the bone assemblages documented at archaeological sites. Nonetheless, the question of how these communities exploited animal resources has not been analysed in sufficient detail. In this paper, we explore how the Magdalenian communities that inhabited Coimbre Cave (Asturias, Northern Spain), exploited hunted resources. Our aim is to determine whether or not there were any specific behavioral trends in terms of disarticulation patterns and bone defleshing. In our analysis, we put forward a new methodology which would let researchers assess the nature of meat consumption strategies. Lastly, we demonstrate that Upper Palaeolithic hunter-gatherer communities at Coimbre show a considerable degree of animal processing systematization.