Review :
This article is presenting a comparison between burned residues from two Uper Palaeolithic
sites, in the Moravia corridor. This is a short, informative and original contribution. The paper
is clearly written and organized and provides good illustrations. Methodology is appropriate
and it presents interesting results and discussions.
Nevertheless, the authors have not taking into account all the accurate references on that
topics. Consequently, some the hypothesis they discuss have already been refuted.
The differences of fuel contents in the two sites is interpreted has a taphonomic consequences
of high temperatures in hearths fedding with bone. According to them, these high
temperatures are proven either by the presence of vitrified charcoal and the combustion of
bone. However, previous work shows that
(i) there is no correlation between the charcoal vitrification and the temperatures of
carbonization. This phenomena could result from chimical reactions, post-dépositional
process, fossilization or many other unidentified process…. (See : Thery-parisot, 2001,
Marguerie et al, 2007; Scott ..)
(2) there is no statistical differences betwen wood and bones burning temperatures (see théryparisot, et al. 2005
So that, the scarcity of charcoal in Předmostí could be du to taphonomy but not for the
involved arguments.
The discussion on the use of bone as fuel should be re-orientated in the light of these
information.
The authors rightly dismiss the relation between wood scarcity and use of bone as fuel. But
they over-estimate the role of taphonomy in the charcoal scarcity.
They should take into account other references about bone properties clearly establishing
differences between the spongy parts and compact bone : only spongy bone can be assumed to
be fuel. On that topic, see Costamagno et al. 2009 ; Thery-Parisot et al, 2005a and b; Castel,
2006....More over, Costamagno et aL.2009 propose a method to describe and interpret the
burned bone assemblages. Previously to discuss with they use bone as fuel the authors should
discuss wether is it fuel or not.
More over, the authors should discuss why the bone is not used as fuel in Dolní Vĕstonice II.
May be they could investigate the relation betwen the camp function and the kind of fuel use
(bone is more appropriate in short time occupation).
In conclusion, the paper should be published after major corrections and refreshed references.
Some References
Cain, C.R., 2005. Using burned animal bone to look at Middle Stone Age occupation and
behavior. Journal of Archaeological Science, 32(6): 873-884.
Costamagno, S., Théry-Parisot, I., Brugal, J.P. and Guilbert, R., 2005. Taphonomic
consequences of the use of bones as fuel. Experimental data and archaeological
applications. In: T. O'Connor (Editor), Biosphere to Lithosphere. New studies in
vertebrate taphonomy. Oxbow Book, Proceding of the 9th ICAZ Conferences of the
International Council of Archaeozoology. Durham, August 2002.
Costamagno, S., Théry-Parisot, I., Castel, J.C. and Brugal, J.P., 2009. Combustible ou non ?
Analyse multifactorielle et modèles explicatifs sur des ossements brûlés
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combustibles, fonctions et fonctionnement des foyers au Paléolithique et au
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