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Palaeoproteomic evidence identifies archaic hominins associated with the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne

2016; National Academy of Sciences; Volume: 113; Issue: 40 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1073/pnas.1605834113

1091-6490

Frido Welker, Mateja Hajdinjak, Sahra Talamo, Klervia Jaouen, Michael Dannemann, Francine David, Michèle Julien, Matthias Meyer, Janet Kelso, Ian Barnes, Selina Brace, Pepijn Kamminga, Román Fischer, Benedikt M. Kessler, John R. Stewart, Svante Pääbo, Matthew J. Collins, Jean‐Jacques Hublin,

Archaeology and ancient environmental studies

Significance The displacement of Neandertals by anatomically modern humans (AMHs) 50,000–40,000 y ago in Europe has considerable biological and behavioral implications. The Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne (France) takes a central role in models explaining the transition, but the association of hominin fossils at this site with the Châtelperronian is debated. Here we identify additional hominin specimens at the site through proteomic zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry screening and obtain molecular (ancient DNA, ancient proteins) and chronometric data to demonstrate that these represent Neandertals that date to the Châtelperronian. The identification of an amino acid sequence specific to a clade within the genus Homo demonstrates the potential of palaeoproteomic analysis in the study of hominin taxonomy in the Late Pleistocene and warrants further exploration.