Les remplissages paléontologiques de l'aven : description, définition des ensembles et cadre chronologique

Paleontological deposits in the pitfall : description, levels definition and chronological framework.- Among the numerous pitfalls yielding Pleistocene fauna in the Quercy region, the Igue du Gral quickly stood out for the presence of a succession of almost horizontal levels rich in vertebrate remains. However, some particular features of this context and the way the deposits were laid down (sedimentation in a deep karstic context, presence of large boulders, absence of “director fossils”, etc.) made it difficult to identify biostratigraphic layers as excavations progressed. It was therefore necessary to develop an appropriate post-excavation strategy to identify coherent chrono- and biostratigraphic assemblages from which paleontological and taphonomic analyses could then be performed. To achieve this, we chose to combine different types of data and analyses, such as the distribution of remains by layer, the distribution of species and fittings C14 datings and the analysis of their distribution.