Taphonomic Analysis of Amphibian and Squamate Remains from El Harhoura 2 (Rabat‐Témara, Morocco): Contributions to Palaeoecological and Archaeological Interpretations

A pioneering taphonomic analysis of amphibian and squamate remains from the North African site El Harhoura 2 reveals that these bones were primarily deposited through predation, with minimal water transport or post-depositional disturbance. The study suggests that most animals were quickly buried after death, either due to natural causes within the cave or as a result of predator activity. By comparing these findings with taphonomic data from small mammals in the same cave, researchers were able to refine palaeoecological interpretations for the site. However, the analysis also underscores significant gaps in North African taphonomic referentials, particularly regarding predator pellets and weathering/burying experiments, which hinder more accurate reconstructions of past environments.

Stoetzel, E., Denys, C., Bailon, S., El Hajraoui, M. A., & Nespoulet, R. (2011). Taphonomic Analysis of Amphibian and Squamate Remains from El Harhoura 2 (Rabat‐Témara, Morocco): Contributions to Palaeoecological and Archaeological Interpretations. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology, 22(5), 616–635. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/oa.1275