[The editors wish to announce that this is a special issue containing a doctoral research on the taphonomy of the important middle Pleistocene site of Schöningen. It is presented in two files to enable easy downloading. For this purpose, the original JT online format has been modified and it is presented as in the printed format.]
The research1 Ancient Hunters, Modern Butchers presents a first detailed study of bone material found
together with spectacularly preserved wooden spears at the Lower Palaeolithic site of Schöningen 13II-4,
in Germany. Analysis of a large sample of bone remains from this site revealed data being very relevant to
the hunting versus scavenging debate in Palaeolithic archaeology. Excellent conservation of the bone
material facilitated a thorough documentation of butchery traces and the reconstruction of early hominid
subsistence behaviour at the site. The author argues that Schöningen 13II-4 represents a Lower Palaeolithic
kill-butchery site where especially horses have been killed and butchered for multiple animal products.
The results of this study seriously question the validity of models on marginal, more scavenging like
Lower Palaeolithic hominid subsistence behaviour.
