@article {308990, title = {Evidence supporting an intentional Neandertal burial at La Chapelle-aux-Saints.}, journal = {Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A}, volume = {111}, year = {2014}, note = {http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2013/12/12/1316780110}, month = {2014 Jan 7}, pages = {81-6}, 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.

}, keywords = {Animals, Archaeology, Bone and Bones, Burial, Fossils, France, History, Ancient, Humans, Neanderthals, Paleontology}, issn = {1091-6490}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.1316780110}, url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24344286}, author = {Rendu, William and Beauval, C{\'e}dric and Crevecoeur, Isabelle and Bayle, Priscilla and Balzeau, Antoine and Bismuth, Thierry and Bourguignon, Laurence and Delfour, G{\'e}raldine and Faivre, Jean-Philippe and Lacrampe-Cuyaub{\`e}re, Fran{\c c}ois and Tavormina, Carlotta and Todisco, Dominique and Turq, Alain and Maureille, Bruno} }