A standardized method for the description and the study of coprolites

F. Jouy Avantin (1, 2) , A. Debenath (1) , A.M. Moigne (3) , H. Moné (2)

1 HNHP - Histoire naturelle de l'Homme préhistorique
2 PFE - Parasitologie fonctionnelle et évolutive [2003-2006]
3 L'Homme préhistorique : son évolution, son milieu, ses activités

Coprolites constitute a potentially vast source of information on animals and the ecology of the site in which they lived. However, their importance among archaeozoological remains has been largely underestimated. We propose a new standardized method for their description and study using a data sheet. This method can be applied to coprolites from all periods and sites everywhere in the world. For this purpose, we present an example of a 500,000-year-old coprolite record sheet. In the future, we postulate that this new working method could be successfully used to compare coprolites from unidentified animal species to coprolites from identified animal species and to bring to light coprolite morphotypes.

Mots clés: Coprolites; Description; Data Sheet; standardization; morphotypes

Domaines: Sciences de l'environnement

F. Jouy Avantin, A. Debenath, A.M. Moigne, H. Moné. A standardized method for the description and the study of coprolites. Journal of Archaeological Science, 2003, 30, pp.367-372. ⟨10.1006/jasc.2002.0848⟩. ⟨hal-01495854⟩