Le site préhistorique de la Roche‑Cotard IV (Indre-et-Loire, France) : une séquence du pléistocene moyen et supérieur, référence pour le val de Loire tourangeau

The earliest unambiguous Neanderthal engravings on cave walls: La Roche-Cotard, Loire Valley, France

“…Some multi-grain quartz OSL ages (12 of the 43 samples, all from LRC IV, see below) analysed in Denmark, were published in Marquet et al . [ 50 ] and the seven multi-grain quartz samples analysed in Hungary were published in Marquet et al . [ 45 , 50 ].…”

“…Of these, 43 samples were analysed in Denmark (DTU Physics) and the remaining seven samples in Hungary (Department of Geological Basic Research, Mining and Geological Survey of Hungary). Some multi-grain quartz OSL ages (12 of the 43 samples, all from LRC IV, see below) analysed in Denmark, were published in Marquet et al [50] and the seven multi-grain quartz samples analysed in Hungary were published in Marquet et al [45,50]. In this study we date, for the first time, the 31 remaining samples and also recalculate the previously published quartz ages using an improved assumption concerning water content, and revised methodology to deal with gamma dose rate heterogeneity (see S2 Text for more details).…”

“…From 2008, methodical excavation took place (i) in the cave (LRC I) [ 43 – 45 ], (ii) in front of and below the cave entrance (LRC II), (iii) in the small shelter discovered 10 meters away from the cave to the east (LRC III) and (iv) still further east (LRC IV), in a deep trench next to the tuff escarpment. At LRC IV, the very thick colluvial deposits covering the bedrock were not completely removed in 1846 [ 50 ] (in contrast to those in front of and above LRC I, II and III). Fig 2B shows the various altitudes of the excavated loci and the likely thickness of the deposits that covered the slope before the sediment extraction in 1846.…”

“…Above the small cave, the elevation of the top of the sedimentary sequence is 53 m, despite being partially truncated by the 1846 extractions. It is thus higher than the ceiling of the LRC I cave (51 m) [ 50 ].…”

“…Layer 6 yielded remains of cold climate-adapted rodents (Arctic lemming, narrow-headed vole), but–like layer 7 –no industry, either osseous or lithic. Finally, LRC IV also yielded evidence of a Mousterian industry (Levallois) in layer 13 (unit U4), associated with large mammal remains (temperate to cool climate-adapted species) [ 50 ]. In U2, layer 9 contains arctic lemming remains but no artefacts.…”