Terra Amata is a site that is located on the southern coast of France near the city of Nice. The site was discovered and first excavated by Henry D. Lumley and is believed to be a Homo erectus kill site.
A series of shallow dwellings ranging from 26-50 ft. long and 13-20 ft. wide can be found at different levels throughout the site dating as far back as 380,000 years before present. The dwellings consisted of small poles supported by rocks for walls and larger poles in the center to support the roof. Some of these shelters contained hearths and what is believed to be some of the earliest controlled use of fire. All but two areas of the huts were strewn with bones and coprolites, fossilized human feces. The area around the hearth was clear of debris and was probably used for sleeping. The other area that was not strewn with debris was covered with pieces of broken stone. These pieces of stone could be fit together and led to speculation that this may have been a work area for making tools. There were also many tools such as choppers, scrapers, and hatchets of the Acheulian tradition found on the site.
The coprolites found in and around the dwellings were analyzed to determine the components of the diet of the occupants of Terra Amata. There were many seeds found in these samples that grow in the late spring to early fall. This suggested that this site was a seasonal camp. The inhabitants would follow the seasons and arrive at the site during the growing season of these plants.
While the seasonal seeds played a role in the migration of these individuals, the animals of the region are what drew them in. The bones found on the site varied from small woodland creatures to large, now extinct creatures. The two largest species were the ancient elephant and the meadow rhinoceros. Judging from the size of the bones found, the smaller, less dangerous of these animals were most frequently taken. In addition to these larger food sources, there was an abundance of smaller, but more agile animals. Remains of deer, stag, rabbit, and wild boar were all found at the site. Being able to hunt such a wide variety of animals would require a tremendous level of communication for the time. This has led most to believe that the inhabitants of Terra Amata had some ability to communicate.
References:
www.abotech.com/Articles/Kowalski01.htm
www.lrs.ed.uiuc.edu/students/b-skla/living.html
www.lou-nissart.com/numero5/terraamata/musee/
Written by: Kyle Streich