Substantial biases affecting Combe-Grenal faunal record cast doubts on previous models of Neanderthal subsistence and environmental context

Manganese and iron oxide use at Combe-Grenal (Dordogne, France): A proxy for cultural change in Neanderthal communities

“…Several small and unmodified pieces in the collection also demonstrate that particular care was taken in identifying pigments during excavations (see Table 1). Although this does not absolutely rule out a bias for larger, modified pigments, a preliminary examination of the mineral pigments recovered from the 2015 to 2018 excavations produced no pure forms of manganese oxides from stratigraphic units that are the equivalent of Bordes' layers 12 to 16 (for details of stratigraphic correlations see Discamps et al, 2016;Discamps and Faivre, 2017). On the other hand, iron oxide pieces were recovered from these layers, corroborating our data from Bordes' pigment assemblage.…”

“…However, several regional syntheses of changes in faunal communities proposed the upper part of the Combe-Grenal sequence to span the period from MIS 5 (130-82 ka) to the beginning of MIS 3 (57-29 ka) (Discamps et al, 2011;Faivre et al, 2014;Discamps and Royer, 2017). Faunal data from on-going excavations has, however, highlighted substantial recovery biases in Bordes' faunal collections (Discamps and Faivre, 2017), calling into question previously proposed chronological models (Guadelli and Laville, 1990;Discamps et al, 2011;Morin et al, 2014). In parallel, an analysis of the small mammal assemblages (Marquet, 1989) highlighted only minimal changes in environmental conditions between the Quina and Discoid/Levallois levels, the former containing several more cold-adapted species, such as snow vole (Chionomysnivalis).…”

“…While the null hypothesis of a random accumulation of iron and manganese oxides within the sequence is highly unlikely (p < .01), potential biases induced by Bordes' excavation methods cannot be ruled out. For example, a recent comparison of Bordes' faunal assemblage with material recovered during on-going excavations revealed substantial recovery biases (see Discamps and Faivre, 2017 for more details). However, the selection by excavators of one type of oxide over the others appears highly unlikely -both types of colouring materials were recognised from the outset of Bordes' excavations.…”

Were Western European Neandertals Able to Make Fire?

“…Similarly, there are curatorial problems for the lithics collections that have resulted in the mixing of materials from different levels (Dibble et al 2009). The recently renewed excavations (Discamps and Faivre 2017) at this site will undoubtedly clarify the sequence, its chronology, the nature of the lithic and faunal assemblages, and the frequency of evidence of fire use.…”

“…Recently, Discamps and Faivre (2017) presented data from two newly re-excavated levels at Combe Grenal that suggests collection bias in the Bordes faunal collection, serious enough that they call into question previous efforts to use the faunal sequence from Combe Grenal to reconstruct climate or hunting behaviors. Similarly, there are curatorial problems for the lithics collections that have resulted in the mixing of materials from different levels (Dibble et al 2009).…”