AI Article Synopsis
- The bouffia Bonneval at La Chapelle-aux-Saints is notable for the first secure Neandertal burial found in the early 20th century, sparking debate about whether the burial was intentional.
- A 12-year fieldwork project combined with a taphonomic analysis revealed that the burial pit was man-made and confirmed that the body was buried quickly, lending support to the idea of intentional burial.
- Additionally, the finding of more skeletal remains, including those of the original Neandertal and other young individuals, indicates a more complex history of the site than previously thought.
Article Abstract
The bouffia Bonneval at La Chapelle-aux-Saints is well known for the discovery of the first secure Neandertal burial in the early 20th century. However, the intentionality of the burial remains an issue of some debate. Here, we present the results of a 12-y fieldwork project, along with a taphonomic analysis of the human remains, designed to assess the funerary context of the La Chapelle-aux-Saints Neandertal. We have established the anthropogenic nature of the burial pit and underlined the taphonomic evidence of a rapid burial of the body. These multiple lines of evidence support the hypothesis of an intentional burial. Finally, the discovery of skeletal elements belonging to the original La Chapelle aux Saints 1 individual, two additional young individuals, and a second adult in the bouffia Bonneval highlights a more complex site-formation history than previously proposed.
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Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3890882 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1316780110 | DOI Listing |
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