Chronology of the Grotte du Renne (France) and implications for the context of ornaments and human remains within the Châtelperronian

• DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1007963107
• Publication Date: 2010-10-19T04:19:23Z
• Authors: Thomas Higham; Roger Jacobi; Michèle Julien; Francine David; Laura Basell; Rachel Wood; William Davies; Christopher Bronk...
• Keywords: Neanderthal; Aurignacian; Ornaments; Homo sapiens; Chronology; Paleoanthropology; Taphonomy; Rock shelter; Hominidae; Middle Stone Age; Middle Paleolithic; Upper Paleolithic; Mousterian

There is extensive debate concerning the cognitive and behavioral adaptation of Neanderthals, especially in period when earliest anatomically modern humans dispersed into Western Europe, around 35,000–40,000 B.P. The site Grotte du Renne (at Arcy-sur-Cure) great importance because it provides most persuasive evidence for complexity among Neanderthals. A range ornaments tools usually associated with human industries, such as Aurignacian, were excavated from three Châtelperronian levels at site, along Neanderthal fossil remains (mainly teeth). This extremely rare occurrence has been taken to suggest that Neanderthals creators these items. Whether independently achieved this level whether was culturally transmitted or mimicked via incoming contentious. At heart discussion lies an assumption regarding integrity remains. One means testing by radiocarbon dating; however, until recently, our ability generate both accurate precise results compromised. series 31 accelerator mass spectrometry ultrafiltered dates on bones, antlers, artifacts, teeth six key archaeological shows unexpected degree variation. suggests some mixing material may have occurred, which implies a more complex depositional history makes difficult be confident about association artifacts levels.