Zouhrah Cave (L 3)
Basic information
Sample name: Zouhrah Cave (L 3)
Sample aka: El Harhoura 1
Reference: H. Monchot and H. Aouraghe. 2009. Deciphering the taphonomic history of an Upper Paleolithic faunal assemblage from Zouhrah Cave/El Harhoura 1, Morocco. Quaternaire 20(2):239-253 [ER 3787]
Geography
Country: Morocco
Coordinate: 33.94° N, -6.95° W
Coordinate basis: estimated from map
Time interval: Pleistocene - Holocene
Section: 3787
Unit number: 5
Unit order: below to above
Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)
Geography comments: shown on a map as ENE of central Temara on the coast
coordinate based on the beach location of Harhoura in Temara
"Neolithic" and "on top of a fill containing remains of 19 buried individuals... This necropolis was dated to 5,400 +/- 290 yr BP" by C14
this date is of unclear relevance because "domestic taxa that are frequently encountered in the main Neolithic sites in Morocco are absent... Human activity in the cave was limited to ritual internments" and the burials may have gone through sediments that are actually Late Pleistocene, as suggested by the fauna that includes Equus algericus and Equus mauritanicus, so it "is similar to that of the Aterian levels"
a date of any where between the Late Pleistocene and mid-Holocene is therefore possible
coordinate based on the beach location of Harhoura in Temara
"Neolithic" and "on top of a fill containing remains of 19 buried individuals... This necropolis was dated to 5,400 +/- 290 yr BP" by C14
this date is of unclear relevance because "domestic taxa that are frequently encountered in the main Neolithic sites in Morocco are absent... Human activity in the cave was limited to ritual internments" and the burials may have gone through sediments that are actually Late Pleistocene, as suggested by the fauna that includes Equus algericus and Equus mauritanicus, so it "is similar to that of the Aterian levels"
a date of any where between the Late Pleistocene and mid-Holocene is therefore possible
Environment
Lithology: sandstone
Taphonomic context: carnivore accumulation,cave,rodent accumulation
Archaeology: burials
Habitat comments: level 3 includes "roof blocks...covered by sandy sediment... more or less clayey or loamy" with "pebbles and blocks"
based on a detailed taphonomic analysis, "The hyena would have been the main collector and modifier of bones at Zouhrah cave" but material was also accumulated by porcupines (this presumably does apply to the Holocene level)
tools aren't discussed
based on a detailed taphonomic analysis, "The hyena would have been the main collector and modifier of bones at Zouhrah cave" but material was also accumulated by porcupines (this presumably does apply to the Holocene level)
tools aren't discussed
Methods
Life forms: carnivores,rodents,ungulates,other small mammals,birds,crustaceans
Sampling methods: quarry
Sample size: 376 specimens
Sampled by: A. Debénath
Years: 1976
Sampling comments: "discovered during residential construction work in 1976 and ... excavated by A. Debénath"
numerous amphibians, reptiles, birds, lagomorphs, mollusks, and rodents are described from somewhere in the section
reptile, amphibian, and "mollusc" specimens are listed in the table at this level
Equus algericus is noted as "representative of the Upper Pleistocene" but there is no discussion of whether the specimens might be reworked
numerous amphibians, reptiles, birds, lagomorphs, mollusks, and rodents are described from somewhere in the section
reptile, amphibian, and "mollusc" specimens are listed in the table at this level
Equus algericus is noted as "representative of the Upper Pleistocene" but there is no discussion of whether the specimens might be reworked
Metadata
Sample number: 4114
Contributor: John Alroy
Enterer: John Alroy
Modifier no: John Alroy
Created: 2023-02-24 14:23:52
Modified: 2024-10-31 23:20:30
Abundance distribution
22 species
4 singletons
total count 376
geometric series index: 33.9
Fisher's α: 5.100
geometric series k: 0.7901
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.7981
Shannon's H: 2.0694
Good's u: 0.9894
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts.
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Register
| Canis aureus | 16 | 9.9 kg carnivore-frugivore |
| Canis sp. | 1 | |
| likely not aureus | ||
| Vulpes vulpes | 42 | 5.3 kg carnivore-insectivore |
| Crocuta crocuta | 5 | 66 kg carnivore |
| Panthera pardus | 4 | 33 kg carnivore |
| Panthera leo | 1 | 147 kg carnivore |
| Felis lybica | 13 | 4.5 kg carnivore |
| Felis margarita | 3 | |
| Herpestes ichneumon | 1 | 2.9 kg carnivore-insectivore |
| Ictonyx libycus | 1 | |
| "Ictonyx libyca" | ||
| †Equus algericus | 5 | |
| †Equus mauritanicus | 4 | |
| Sus scrofa | 2 | 54 kg herbivore |
| †Bos primigenius | 8 | |
| Antilopini indet. | 141 | |
| Alcelaphini indet. | 2 | |
| Hippotragini indet. | 4 | |
| Tragelaphini indet. | 2 | |
| Hystrix cristata | 54 | 12 kg |
| Lepus capensis | 57 | |
| Struthio camelus | 6 | 111 kg grazer-browser |
| Carcinus sp. | 4 | |