Zooarchaeological analyzes of the faunal remains of the upper layer of Climăuţi II (Republic of Moldova)

The upper layer of Climăuţi II, located in the Middle Dniester, delivered many archaeological remains relied to the first part of the upper Pleniglacial (between 20,500 and 20,000 BP). The lithic industry is rich, dominated by scrapers, burins and blades, and presents epi-Aurignacian characters. From our zooarchaeological analyzes we highlighted that this assembly was relatively quickly accumulated and little affected by sediment movements. The woolly mammoth is the main species, probably as important food resources, for ivory and as raw material to build structure. All the remains attest to various activities, as flint knapping, hunting and butchering activities, also as bone working. It corresponds to an important camp probably occupied several times during short-termed period. Compared to the rather contemporary sites of the Dniester valley, Climăuţi II is a unique site in the region with a clear and important status accorded to mammoth by Paleolithic human groups.