A late Neandertal femur from Les Rochers-de-Villeneuve, France

^*Institut de Préhistoire et de Géologie du Quaternaire and ^§Laboratoire d'Anthropologie des Populations du Passé, Unité Mixte de Recherche 5199, de le Préhistoire à l'Actuel: Culture, Environnement et Anthroplogie, Université de Bordeaux 1, Avenue des Facultés, 33405 Talence, France; ^†Archeosphere, Domaine du Haut Carré, 351 Cours de la Libération, 33405 Talence, France; ^¶Genome Quebec Innovation Center, McGill University, 740 Avenue Docteur Penfield, Montréal, QB, Canada H3A 2T5; ^∥Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; ^**21 Rue Luflade, 33000 Bordeaux, France; ^††Art Graphique et Patrimoine, 66 Rue du Quatre-Septembre, 13200 Arles, France; ^‡‡Unité Mixte de Recherche 7055, Laboratoire de Préhistoire et Technologie, La Maison René Ginouvès, Université de Paris X, 92001 Nanterre, France; and ^¶¶Department of Anthropology, Washington University, Campus Box 1114, St. Louis, MO 63130

Contributed by Erik Trinkaus, March 31, 2005

Abstract

In 2002, a Neandertal partial femoral diaphysis was discovered at Les Rochers-de-Villeneuve (Vienne, France). Radiocarbon dated to ≈40,700 ¹⁴C years before present, this specimen is one of the most recent Middle Paleolithic Neandertals. The diaphysis derives from an archeological level indicating alternating human and carnivore (mostly hyena) occupation of the cave, reinforcing the close proximity and probable competition of Middle Paleolithic humans with large carnivores for resources and space. Morphological aspects of the diaphysis and ancient DNA extracted from it indicate that it is aligned with the Neandertals and is distinct from early modern humans. However, its midshaft cortical bone distribution places it between other Middle Paleolithic Neandertals and the Châtelperronian Neandertal from La Roche-à-Pierrot, supporting a pattern of changing mobility patterns among late Middle Paleolithic Neandertals on the eve of modern human dispersals into Europe.

Footnotes

↵ ‡ To whom correspondence may be addressed. E-mail: c.beauval{at}ipgq.u-bordeaux1.fr. or trinkaus{at}wustl.edu.
Author contributions: C.B., B.M., D.S., S. Pääbo, and E.T. designed research; C.B., B.M., F.L.-C., D.S., D.P., J.-G.B., D.C., I.C., D.D., V.L., A.L., J.-B.M., S. Pasty, J.P., N.R., S. Pääbo, and E.T. performed research; C.B., B.M., D.S., D.P., J.-G.B., and E.T. analyzed data; and C.B., B.M., D.S., S. Pääbo, and E.T. wrote the paper.
Abbreviations: BP, ¹⁴C years before present; OIS, oxygen isotope stage; aDNA, ancient DNA; mtDNA, mitochondrial DNA; RdV 1, Rochers-de-Villeneuve 1.