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2-2017

Zooarchaeological and Palaeoenvironmental Reconstruction of Newly Excavated Middle Pleistocene Deposits from Elandsfontein,

Frances L. Forrest The Graduate Center, City University of New York

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Zooarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of newly

excavated Middle Pleistocene deposits from Elandsfontein, South

Africa

by

Frances Lynn Forrest

A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty in Anthropology in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy,

the City University of New York

2017

© 2017

FRANCES LYNN FORREST

All Rights Reserved

ii

This manuscript has been read and accepted for the Graduate Faculty in

Anthropology in satisfaction of the dissertation requirement for the degree of

Doctor of Philosophy.

Date Thomas W. Plummer

Chair of Examining Committee

Date Gerald Creed

Executive Officer

Supervisory Committee:

Eric Delson

William Harcourt-Smith

David Braun

THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK

iii

ABSTRACT

Zooarchaeological and palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of newly excavated Middle

Pleistocene deposits from Elandsfontein, South Africa

by

Frances Lynn Forrest

Adviser: Thomas Plummer

Increased consumption of tissue is arguably one of the most important adaptive transitions in early hominin behavior. A dietary shift toward regular tool-assisted meat consumption and increased competition with the carnivore paleoguild likely helped shape many important hominin adaptations such as foraging patterns, habitat preferences, and social behaviors. Yet, the ecological and behavioral implications for increased hominin carnivory remain poorly understood. This dissertation examines the zooarchaeological and paleoenvironmental history of an important Acheulean hominin locality, Elandsfontein, South

Africa (ca. 1.0 – 0.6 Ma). The goal is to begin addressing under-investigated aspects of

Acheulean hominin behavioral and place Acheulean hominin subsistence behavior within an environmental context.

The first part of this dissertation is focused on the mechanisms of large bone accumulation and alteration. Although there is a long history of research at Elandsfontein, the majority of the original EFTM faunal material was collected from deflation surfaces and lacks sufficient contextual information. As such, it is unsuitable for placing hominin behavioral

iv ecology within a resolved spatial and temporal framework. I conduct a comprehensive zooarchaeological analysis of fauna from four recent excavations across the Elandsfontein dunefield. Findings indicate that earlier zooarchaeological studies at Elandsfontein underestimate the degree of hominin contribution to the fossil assemblage and do not take into account the complex taphonomic history across the paleolandscape.

The second part of this dissertation contributes to the growing body of paleoenvironmental data at Elandsfontein by incorporating bovid ecomorphological analysis. I conducted a traditional ecomorphological analysis of bovid radii, astragali, and proximal phalanges using caliper measurements. Results suggest a mix of habitats including a predominantly open lands