Evolution of behavioural complexity and the makers of the Chatelperronian: a re-evaluation of site integrity and human remains

• Applicants: Dr. Samantha Brown; Professor Dr. Harald Floss; Professorin Dr. Katerina Harvati-Papatheodorou
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: since 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 515578583

The behavioural capabilities of Neanderthals compared to those of early modern humans are a topic of intense debate. The Chatelperronian, one of the most recent techno-complexes historically believed to be the product of European Neanderthals, is highly developed in its lithic industry, and includes elements of personal ornaments. Nevertheless, the association of the Chatelperronian with Neanderthals remains controversial as is the general question in how far so-called transitional techno-complexes of the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic in Europe (~50-30 ka) can be associated with one biological species due to the high anatomical and behavioural variability in this time frame. This topic touches directly upon questions of independent cultural innovations among species, potential interaction between Neanderthals and modern humans and whether Neanderthals might have been capable of complex behaviours in certain spatio-temporal and environmental contexts. The overarching aim of this project is to assess these questions by joint archaeological, paleoanthropological, and palaeoproteomic work. To test between different hypotheses on bio-cultural diversity and associations in Late Pleistocene Europe, we will re-evaluate the cultural assemblages, stratigraphic contexts and fossil human specimens from the site of Germolles in Burgundy in order to identify the makers of this cultural unit. We will also carry out a palaeoproteomic investigation of the large assemblage of fragmented bones, using Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS), to identify new human remains for the site. Future work could expand the spatial and temporal scope of this approach to further techno-complexes in Europe with additional methods.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants