Contextualising the La Ferrassie 1 Homo neanderthalensis skeleton through palaeoproteomic analysis and radiocarbon dating

The La Ferrassie site, a reference locality for Neandertal paleobiology and Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition, has yielded numerous hominin remains over more than a century of excavations. Among them, the La Ferrassie 1 (LF1) skeleton, discovered in 1909, is one of the most complete individuals attributed to Homo neanderthalensis . Nevertheless, its precise stratigraphic context and chronological attribution remain uncertain due to outdated excavation methods and sparse archival documentation. In this study, we integrate archival research, paleoproteomics, and radiocarbon dating to reassess the age and depositional context of LF1. We examined 64 faunal bone fragments stored with LF1 at the Musée de l’Homme, Paris, selecting six for radiocarbon dating after taxonomic identification via paleoproteomics. Most specimens were identified as Bovidae, with minor representation of Cervidae and Elephantidae. The modeled start and end boundaries of the LF1-associated fauna fall between 43,270–39,060 cal BP (95.4%), with the modeled deposition event estimated at 42,610–39,830 cal BP (95.4%). These radiocarbon estimates not only fall within the broad OSL interval previously proposed for the LF1 sediment, but substantially refine it, providing a tighter and more precise chronological placement that also overlaps with the known temporal range of the Châtelperronian technocomplex at the site. Moreover, the close spatial association between LF1 and the dated fauna, together with previous taphonomic observations on the skeleton, is compatible with the hypothesis that LF1 may have entered the sediment through an intrusive depositional event. Although our new radiocarbon dates do not provide direct evidence for deliberate burial, they refine the chronological framework within which such behavioral interpretations must be evaluated, reinforcing La Ferrassie's significance in discussions of Neandertal mortuary practices during the Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition. • Archival evidence confirms that the faunal fragments dated were those directly underlying the LF1 skeleton. • Paleoproteomic analysis identified 50 out of 64 bone fragments as Bovidae, clarifying the assemblage composition. • Bayesian modelling of six radiocarbon dates refines the deposition of LF1 to 42.6–39.8 ka cal BP (95.4%). • The new chronology falls securely within the Châtelperronian time range at La Ferrassie and in western Europe. • The results refine the timing and contextualisation of LF1 without providing direct evidence for intentional burial.