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Taphonomic Analysis of Faunal Remains from Lake Beseka, Ethiopia: Implications for Site Formation Processes and Paleoecological Reconstruction

TAPHONOMIC ANALYSIS OF FAUNAL REMAINS FROM LAKE BESEKA, ETHIOPIA

IMPLICATIONS FOR SITE FORMATION PROCESSES AND
PALEOECOLOGICAL RECONSTRUCTION.

BY: ADDISE DABA, MA in Zooarchaeology (CFEE grant 2025)

What Faunal Remains from Lake Beseka Tell Us about the Past and Environments
Some of the most powerful evidence for understanding the past comes from animal bones. At Lake Beseka in central Ethiopia, faunal remains give insight into how humans interacted with other animals and environments during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Through zooarchaeological and taphonomic analysis, these bones help reconstruct past landscapes, subsistence practices, and the processes that shaped archaeological sites. Why Zooarchaeology and Taphonomy Matter Zooarchaeology focuses on the relationship between humans and non-humans. Taphonomy, on the other hand, examines what happens to bones after an animal died, including natural and cultural processes that modified and transport skeletal remains. Together, these approaches allow archaeologists to move beyond simple species lists and toward a deeper understanding of how faunal assemblages formed.
Eastern Africa, zooarchaeological and taphonomic studies have played a central role in interpreting Late Pleistocene sites such as Porc Epic and Goda Buticha in Ethiopia, as well as Olorgesailie and Enkapune Ya Muto in Kenya. These studies have shown how bone surface modifications, fragmentation patterns, and preservation reflect both human behavior and environmental conditions. Despite this regional importance, faunal remains from Lake Beseka had not previously been studied in detail.

Lake Beseka: A Landscape used on the run

Lake Beseka lies within the Main Ethiopian Rift and has a long history of human occupation. Research occupation carried out in the 1970s identified multiple occupational phases, with the earliest dating to around 20,000 years ago and continued during the Holocene. Previous studies at the site concentrated on lithic artifacts and geochemical sources, leaving questions about subsistence and animal exploitation largely unanswered. Without faunal evidence, interpretations of how people lived, what they ate, and how they used aimed landscape remain incomplete. The taphonomic study of faunal remains from Lake Beseka was aims to address this problem by examining taxonomic diversity, skeletal element representation, fragmentation, and bone surface modifications.

 

 

Taxonomic Representation

The faunal assemblage from Lake Beseka includes a wide range of taxa, such as bovids, suids, hippopotamus, rodents, carnivores, reptiles, and crocodiles, along with primates and hominids. Together, these animals reflect a mosaic environment where terrestrial and aquatic resources were available within a relatively small area. Such settings would have been attractive to human groups, offering access to water and diverse food sources.

 

Zooarchaeological Interpretation of Skeletal Remains

Not all bones survive equally well, and this matters for interpretation. At Lake Beseka, postcranial elements dominate the assemblage, particularly dense bones such as carpals, tarsals, phalanges, and metapodials. These elements are more resistant to destruction by weathering, trampling, and transport. The high frequency of dense postcranial bones suggests that the assemblage was deposited locally and experienced low to moderate hydraulic activity. In other words, the bones were not heavily transported by water over long distances. This supports the interpretation of Lake Beseka as a stable depositional environment where faunal remains accumulated close to where animals died or were processed.

 

 

Traces of Human Activity

One of the most important contributions of taphonomic analysis is identifying evidence of human behavior. At Lake Beseka, several forms of anthropogenic modification were recorded, including cut marks, percussion damage, burning, and deliberate bone breakage. Out of 1,597 analyzed specimens, 499 show green fractures, meaning the bones were broken while still fresh. This represents more than 30 % of the assemblage and suggests intentional breakage, most likely related to marrow extraction. Cut marks were identified on 29 specimens, with additional cases showing possible cut marks. Notably, some green-fractured bones also display cut marks, strengthening the interpretation of systematic carcass processing using stone tools. These modifications indicate that humans were actively involved in exploiting animal resources at or near the site.

 

The Role of Natural Processes

Human activity was not the only force shaping the assemblage. Carnivore gnawing, rodent chewing, weathering, and abrasion were also observed. These modifications show that bones were exposed on the surface for varying periods and interacted with scavengers and environmental processes before final burial. These natural processes help clarify how the site formed. They indicate a dynamic landscape where human actions, animal behavior, and environmental factors interacted over time.

Why This Study Matters

The taphonomic study of faunal remains from Lake Beseka adds an important new dimension to our understanding of the site. It shows that humans actively processed animal carcasses in a landscape that offered both terrestrial and aquatic resources. At the same time, it highlights how
natural processes influenced bone preservation and assemblage formation. More broadly, this research contributes to zooarchaeological studies in the Ethiopian Rift, a region central to debates about human evolution, adaptation, and subsistence. By paying close attention to bones and the evidence they carry, we gain a richer and more grounded picture of how past communities lived within their environments.


OpenEdition vous propose de citer ce billet de la manière suivante :
Secrétaire Scientifique (29 janvier 2026). Taphonomic Analysis of Faunal Remains from Lake Beseka, Ethiopia: Implications for Site Formation Processes and Paleoecological Reconstruction. UN ŒIL SUR LA CORNE / AN EYE ON THE HORN. Consulté le 15 février 2026 à l’adresse https://doi.org/10.58079/15l95


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