Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Thermoluminescence dating of the late Neanderthal remains from Saint-Césaire

Nature volume 351, pages 737–739 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

ANATOMICALLY modern humans have long been thought to have been responsible for the Aurignacian and Châtelperronian industries of the early Upper Palaeolithic of Western Europe, whereas the Middle Palaeolithic Mousterian industry has been attributed to Neanderthals. The presence of both Middle and Upper Palaeolithic strata at Saint-Césaire in France offers an excellent opportunity for studying the cultural transition between the two. Saint-Césaire is the only Châtelperronian site that has yielded really diagnostic hominid fossils, and the discovery there of Neanderthal remains1 alongside Châtelperronian tools cast doubt on the exclusive association between industries and taxon. We report thermoluminescence dates for 20 burnt flints from the site. Those found near the Neanderthal remains were dated at 36,300± 2,700 years BP (before present), making this specimen the youngest Neanderthal dated so far. This date places the stratum close in age to several French2,3 but much younger than some Spanish4,5 Aurignacian sites believed to have been occupied by modern humans. The possibility of contact between the West European Neanderthals and the intrusive modern humans who replaced them cannot therefore be excluded.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lévêque, F. & Vandermeersch, B. C. R. acad. Sci., Paris 291, 187–189 (1980).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Voggel, J. C. & Waterbolk, H. T. Radiocarbon 9, 107–156 (1967).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Gowlett, J. A. J., Hedges, R. E. M., Law, I. A. & Perry, C. Archaeometry 28, 206–222 (1986).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Cabrera-Valdès, V. & Bischoff, J. L. J. arch. Sci, 16, 577–584 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Bischoff, J. L., Soler, N., Maroto, J. & Julia, R. J. arch Sci. 16, 563–576 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Mellars, P. Curr. Anthrop. 30, 349–384 (1989).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Demars, P. Y. & Hubin, J.-J. in l'Homme de Néandertal. 3: l'Extinction (ed. Otte, M.) 23–37 (Eraul 34, Liège, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Mellars, P. & Stringer, C. (eds) The Human Revolution (Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 1989).

  9. Leroi-Gourhan, A. Bull. Soc. Mérid. Spéléo. Préhist. 6–9, (1963).

  10. Bordes, F. Le Paléolithique dans le Monde, l'Univers des Connaissances, (Hachette, Paris, 1968).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Vandermeersch, B. Bull. Mém. Soc. d'Anthrop. de Paris 1, 191–196 (1984).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Leroi-Gourhan, A. Préhistoire de l' Art Occidental (ed. Mazenod, L.) (Paris, 1965).

    Google Scholar 

  13. ApSimon, A. M. Nature 287, 272–273 (1980).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. Wolpoff, M. H. ; ApSimon, A. ; Stringer, C. B., Kruszynski, R. G. & Jacobi, R. M. Nature 289, 823–824 (1981).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Lévêque, F. & Miskovsky, J. C. L'Anthropologie 87, 369–391 (1983).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Lévêque, F. in l'Homme de Néandertal, 3: l'extinction (ed. Otte, M.) 99–108 (Eraul 34, Liège, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Aitken, M. J., Thermoluminescence Dating (Academic, New York, 1985).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Valladas, H., et al. Nature 322, 452–454 (1986).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Valladas, H. & Valladas, G. Archaeometry 27, 214–220 (1987).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Leroi-Gourhan, A. Bull Soc. Préhist. France 81, 196–198 (1984).

    Google Scholar 

  21. Girard, M., Miskovsky, J. C., & Evin, J. Mém. Mus. Préhist. d'lle de France 3, 295–303 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Bard, E. et al. Nature 345, 405–409 (1990).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bell, W. T., Archaeometry 33, 43–50 (1991).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Gambier, D. In l'Homme de Néandertal. 3: l'Extinction (ed, Otte, M.) 67–84 (Eraul 34, Liege, 1989).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Chayla, B., Jaffrezic, H. & Joron, J.-L C.r. hebd. Acad. Sci.. Paris 277, 273–275 (1973).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Huxtable, J. & Jacobi, R. M. Archaeometry 24, 164–169 (1982).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Valladas, H. & Valladas, G. Pact 6, 171–178 (1982).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Bell, W. T. Archaeometry 21, 243–245 (1979).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Prescott, J. R. & Stephan, L. G. Pact 6, 17–25 (1982).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Aitken, M. J. Archaeometry 18, 233–238 (1976).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Vandermeersch, B., Mém. Mus. Préhist. d'lle de France 3, 25–27 (1990).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. J-L. Joron: Groupe des Sciences de la Terre, Laboratoire Pierre Süe, CEN, Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France

  2. F. Lévêque: Direction des Antiquités de la Région Poitou-Charentes, Hôtel de Rochefort, 102 Grand'Rue, BP 553, 86020 Poitiers, France

  3. B. Vandermeersch: Laboratoire d'Anthropologie, Université de Bordeaux 1, UA 376 du CNRS, 33405 Talence, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centre des Faibles Radioactivités, Laboratoire mixte CNRS-CEA, Avenue de la Terrasse, 91198, Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France

    N. Mercier, H. Valladas, J-L. Joron, J-L. Reyss, F. Lévêque & B. Vandermeersch

Authors
  1. N. Mercier
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Valladas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J-L. Joron
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J-L. Reyss
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. F. Lévêque
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. B. Vandermeersch
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mercier, N., Valladas, H., Joron, JL. et al. Thermoluminescence dating of the late Neanderthal remains from Saint-Césaire. Nature 351, 737–739 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1038/351737a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/351737a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing