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'Garralda MD, Giacobini G, Vandermeersch B, 2005: Neanderthal Cutmarks: Combe-Grenal and Marillac (France). A SEM Analysis. Anthropologie (Brno) 43, 2-3: 189-197'. |
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| Abstract | | This paper deals with the analysis of several human remains found in two French Middle Paleolithic sites with Mousterian culture and assigned to Homo sapiens neanderthalensis. Chronostratigraphic data for both of them document very cold climatic conditions corresponding to OIS 4. One of these sites is Combe-Grenal Cave, where F. Bordes found several human remains in Mousterian level 25 (around 75/65 ky). The considered fossils are the fragment of a child's mandible, an incomplete juvenile mandible and a humeral fragment from an adult. Numerous intentional cutmarks on the second mandible and on the humerus are described, while scratches found on the first mandible are interpreted as toothmarks produced by small carnivores. The second site is Marillac ("Les Pradelles"), where B. Vandermeersch discovered several human remains (levels 9 and 10), one of which, the posterior part of an adult neurocranium, also has several cutmarks. At both sites the fossils were found on living floors, randomly mixed with abundant faunal remains and tools. Macro and microscopic examination, including observation at the SEM, permitted clear identification of traces of flint tools used during the manipulation of the cadavers, peri- or post-mortem. The possible interpretations of these striations are discussed. | | | | Keywords | | Combe-Grenal - Marillac - Southwest France - Mousterian - Neanderthal - Cutmarks - Cannibalism - Mortuary practices | | |
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