Carnivores have played a consistent role throughout human evolutionary history. These animals usually acted as scavengers in prehistoric human settlements, often causing the disappearance of remains without leaving obvious traces. Such occurrences pose significant challenges for archaeological studies, particularly when attempting to apply ethnographically derived principles developed within high-resolution temporal contexts.

SCAVENGERS involves monitoring experimental reproductions of hearth-related assemblages—similar to those found in archaeological contexts—that are exposed to various species of wild carnivores, including hyenas, bears, wolves, and other smaller carnivores. Subsequently, the results will be tested on different Middle Palaeolithic assemblages using Artificial Intelligence techniques.

The primary objective is to generate cross-sectional data applicable to all periods and geographic regions, surpassing the limitations of traditional archaeological methods in making accurate inferences about past human behaviour. The outcomes of this project will contribute to the development of a new paradigm, challenging fundamental notions about prehistory.

Transitioning from Passive and Descriptive Archaeology to Active and Propositional Archaeology

While SCAVENGERS is primarily designed for application in the European Middle Palaeolithic, the project aims to be sufficiently comprehensive that its results will significantly contribute to resolving issues related to other periods and geographic regions. In this regard, the specific objectives include:

1.- Highlighting the substantial gaps in our understanding of the occupational patterns that emerged during the Middle Palaeolithic.

2.- Demonstrating the efficacy of neo-taphonomic studies and their potential application to the archaeological record when conducted rigorously and accurately. This serves to discredit previous research that ascribed certain mechanical and repetitive behavioral patterns to animals without considering their specific ecological or physiological circumstances. It also addresses prior studies reliant on data from contexts with modified or altered conditions (e.g., animals in captivity).