Detecting human activity areas in Middle Palaeolithic open-air sites in Northern France from the distribution of faunal remains

The detection of Middle Palaeolithic human activity areas represents a methodological challenge at the boundary between two disciplines: archaeology and spatial analysis. During course past decades, with democratisation tools such as Geographic Information Systems (GIS), prehistorians have developed wide diversity methods for study organization occupation levels. We must now choose best adapted method to our problems, archaeological contexts, but also set geographic data, from existing methods. In this context, we devised new analysis protocol, highlighting criteria that constrained choice estimating their reproducibility. construction application protocol is based on open-air sites Caours Beauvais, situated in North France. On account ideal preservation conditions these sites, they are propitious candidates addition, rank among those most abundant faunal remains region focuses category remains. combined use – K-means clustering Kernel Density Estimation enables us, one hand, effectively detect areas, number distribution. other contributed characterisation description role functioning level. For both studied brought light several butchery activities organized around combustion zone. case Caours, specific activities, devoted or species, were identified.