Let's Talk About Bone Cylinders. Taphonomy of Carnivores and Humans

ABSTRACT

Bone cylinders are a distinctive structure predominantly produced by durophagous carnivoran species during the consumption of long bones, in which the diaphyseal canal remains intact while both epiphyses are removed or consumed. This study evaluates the significance of this morphology, traditionally attributed to extant and extinct hyena species, as a valuable source of paleoecological and ethological information. Evidence suggests that their presence may also be associated with other carnivores influenced by ecological and behavioral factors. However, limited research has examined how external ecological factors such as competition, social behavior, or nutritional stress influence the bone modifications made by carnivores. Accordingly, the present paper not only reunites and assesses the data provided by bone cylinders but also reviews current taphonomic research, advocating for renewed interest in the discipline. By proposing technical and conceptual advancements related to bone cylinders, this study aims to refine interpretive methods and expand the methodological framework of zooarchaeology and taphonomy through the necessary integration of carnivore ethology.