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Of Buffalo and Butchers: Coupling Traditional Procurement Studies with Taphonomic Analyses to Explore Intensive Wild Animal Processing Patterns at Two Early Iron Age Sites in the Kruger National Park

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Abstract

Located in northeastern South Africa in the Kruger National Park, the wild-dominated faunal assemblages at Le6 and Le7 allow for a site-level examination of the treatment of wild species within the highly variable spectra of Early Iron Age animal use. Looking at hunting beyond pure subsistence choices, this paper couples traditional morphological analysis with taphonomic analysis and theoretical frameworks of intensification to ask new socially focussed zooarchaeological questions of these assemblages. Through this, both the procurement and processing methods utilized at Le6 and Le7 are identified and the significance of these choices is discussed. In so doing, the paper addresses possible specialization in both the hunting and the processing of large wild mammals. The socio-economic implications and potential drivers of these faunal choices are then considered within the broader context of the southern African Early Iron Age, and a potentially new faunal use strategy and site type are introduced.

Résumé

Les sites archéologiques Le6 et Le7 sont localisés dans le Parc National Kruger, au nord-est de l’Afrique du Sud. Les assemblages, qui sont dominés par des espèces sauvages, permettent une analyse intra-site du traitement spécifique des espèces sauvages au sein du large spectre des pratiques d’utilisation des ressources animales qui existent pour l’Age du Fer ancien. Dans cet article, la sphère cynégétique n’est pas abordée seulement sous l’angle des choix de subsistance. Il présente une approche plus large, qui recoupe les analyses morphologiques traditionnelles, les résultats taphonomiques ainsi que les cadres des théories d’intensification afin d’aborder des questions archéozoologiques novatrices, abordant l’aspect social des accumulateurs des ensembles fauniques. Ces méthodes d’analyse permettent d’identifier les stratégies d’acquisition et de traitement des ressources animales à Le6 et Le7 et de discuter l’importance des choix effectués. Parmi ces choix, nous discutons de la possibilité que les assemblages fauniques reflètent une spécialisation de la chasse et du traitement de grands mammifères sauvages. Les implications socio-économiques et les facteurs potentiels ayant mené à ces choix fauniques sont considérés dans le contexte de l’Age du Fer ancien d’Afrique australe. Enfin, sont introduits un nouveau type de stratégie d’utilisation des ressources animales et un nouveau type de site archéologique qui lui est associé.

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Acknowledgments

First and foremost, all thanks go to my advisors, Annie Raath Antonites and Alexander Antonites—without whom none of this research would ever have happened. Alexander Antonites and the Department of Anthropology and Archaeology at the University of Pretoria provided financial support for the project. Permission was given by the University of Pretoria to analyse this material. Shaw Badenhorst and Wynand Van Zyl provided assistance and access to the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History collection, and Ina Plug assisted in distinguishing cattle from buffalo at these sites as well as in the discussion of this material. Catherine Schenck and Katja Douze aided in translating the French abstract. Tim Forssman assisted in the creation of Fig. 1. Karin Scott provided valuable comments on an earlier draft, and the anonymous reviewers also provided insightful commentary in honing this paper.

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  1. Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa

    Evin Grody

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  1. Evin Grody
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Correspondence to Evin Grody.

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Grody, E. Of Buffalo and Butchers: Coupling Traditional Procurement Studies with Taphonomic Analyses to Explore Intensive Wild Animal Processing Patterns at Two Early Iron Age Sites in the Kruger National Park. Afr Archaeol Rev 33, 385–409 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-016-9236-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10437-016-9236-9

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