 | |
  location in France | |
| Location | caves of Arcy-sur-Cure |
|---|---|
| Region | France |
| Coordinates | 47°36′13″N 3°44′27″E / 47.60361°N 3.74083°E |
| Type | limestone karst cave complex |
| History | |
| Periods | late Upper Paleolithic |
| Cultures | Châtelperronian |
| Associated with | Neanderthal |
The Grotte du Renne (French for "Reindeer's cave") is one of the many caves at Arcy-sur-Cure in France, an archaeological site of the Middle/Upper Paleolithic period in the Yonne departement, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. It contains Châtelperronian lithic industry and Neanderthal remains. Grotte du Renne has been argued to provide the best evidence that Neanderthals developed aspects of modern behaviour before contact with modern humans, but this has been challenged by radiological dates, which suggest mixing of later human artifacts with Neanderthal remains.[1][2] However, it has also been argued that the radiometric dates have been affected by post-recovery contamination, and statistical testing suggests the association between Neanderthal remains, Châtelperronian artefacts and personal ornaments is genuine, not the result of post-depositional processes.[3]
- ^ Higham, Thomas; Jacobi, Roger; Julien, Michèle; David, Francine; Basell, Laura; Wood, Rachel; Davies, William; Ramsey, Christopher Bronk (2010). "Chronology of the Grotte du Renne (France) and implications for the context of ornaments and human remains within the Chatelperronian". Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 107 (47): 20234–20239. doi:10.1073/pnas.1007963107. PMC 2996711. PMID 20956292.
- ^ Mellars, Paul (2010). "Neanderthal symbolism and ornament manufacture: The bursting of a bubble?". Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 107 (47): 20147–20148. Bibcode:2010PNAS..10720147M. doi:10.1073/pnas.1014588107. PMC 2996706. PMID 21078972.
- ^ Caron, François; d'Errico, F.; Del Moral, P.; Santo, F.; Zilhão, J. (2011). "The Reality of Neandertal Symbolic Behavior at the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, France". PLOS ONE. 6 (6): e21545. Bibcode:2011PLoSO...621545C. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0021545. PMC 3126825. PMID 21738702.