PALEOLITHIC HUNTING ON SAIGA IN THE CRIME A (USSR)

Nearly 3 000 bone remains of saiga from the Mousterian, Late Palaeolit hic and Mesolithic sites from north foothills of the Crimea were analy zed. The majority of remains occured from the Mousterian cave Prolome 2, where saiga prevailed over the other hunting species of mammals. Te eth and short bones of extremities are numerous, other fragments of ax ial skeleton, scapula and pelvis were found very rare. Majority of rem ains from the Mousterian sites belongs to old and adult animals. The m ales dominants in material be evident by the size of astragalus (excep t cave Prolome 2). The part of young animals on the Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic sites increased. We can suppose that death of young an imals occured in summer proceeded from wearing of the deciduous teeth. The males which weakened after the breeding season probably were kill ed in the winter. Multiplicity of saiga remains on the Palaeolithic si tes testify that this antelope was an object of intensive primitive hu nting. Majority of broken bones with the signs of the artificial crush ing were found together with the palaeolithic stone tools and waste pr oducts of its industry. The standard damage of bones from elbow and an kle joints witness that distal part of extremities purposefully disjoi ned. Probably some of the bones were carried to grottes by cave hyenas .