ABSTRACT
The inhabitants of Europe during the Upper Palaeolithic were foragers who lived from the gathering of plants, eggs, shellfish and insects, fishing, and the hunting and trapping of animals. Reconstructions of life during this period have, however, long been dominated by the supposed importance of big game hunting. Based on ethnographic analogies and studies of faunal remains, the hunting of large animals came to be seen as almost the only source of Upper Palaeolithic food and raw materials. The hunting, butchering and utilization of big game served as the basis for reconstructions of tool use, clothing, housing and seasonal movements. Plants were generally considered to be minor resources with little value as food or raw materials.
