Homo neanderthalensis e Homo sapiens: lo sfruttamento delle parti scheletriche degli ungulati

Analysis of ungulate bones recovered from some upper and middle Palaeolithic sites of South Italy show differences in the presences of anatomical elements, probably due to different types of exploitation of the skeletal portions between H. neanderthalensis e H. sapiens. Differences, combined with the lack of clear evidences of carnivore activities, concern specially limb bones of small sizes (carpals, tarsals, phalanges, sesamoides), and long bones epiphysis. These skeletal parts result rare in middle Palaeolithic deposits whereas are abundant, in particular the phalanges, in upper Palaeolithic ones. Observations of unidentified bone fragments indicate that, during middle Palaeolithic, in this sites, marrow extraction regarded essentially the treatment of long bones. First and second phalanges were not very used for this practice, while they were often fragmented by Sapiens. Lack of these bones among Neandertal’s meal remains, allow to formulate the hypothesis that these were destroyed probably during their utilisation as fuel.