Holocene Brown Bears (Ursus arctos L.) in natural traps : exceptional sites of Mont Ventoux (Vaucluse, France)

Abstract

[Abstract] On the northern face of the mountain Mont Ventoux (Vaucluse, Southeastern France), a dozen cavities and traps (called MV1, 2, 3, 4 ( = Aven du René-Jean), 5, 6 ...) have been recently discovered by speleologists, yielding rich Holocene faunal remains. Two sites (MV2 and MV4, figure 1) have been excavated for 3 years (1997-1999) and appear to be exceptional places for their archaeological records, containing both numerous remains of brown bears and charcoal. These remains seem to have been accumulated during a short time (Bronze Age ? to late Antiquity). Here are presented some results of our first field investigations. Although these do not strictly concern cave bears, they may be useful to paleontologists, archaeologists, taphonomists and biologists working on (Pleistocene) bears.