Zones d'activités, zones de déchets dans les gisements en abri au Paléolithique : informations fournies par les ossements de grands mammifères

From two examples of archaeozoological material from Paleolithic rock shelters, we discuss the validity of bone spatial distribution. In Canalettes, the bone spatial distribution shows the existence of activity areas with various functions: dump, butchery and/or cooking, waste. I explain the different distributions in levels 2 and 3 of this site, by the différence in amount of the space available (more in level 3), and also by a climatic difference (the weather was colder and dryer in level 2). In Saint-Cézaire, the study ofbone spatial distribution and the taphonomic processes shows the existence of domestic wastes and fire place draining. These two examples demonstrate the existence sometimes of space utilization by activity as early as the middle Paleolithic.