Prehistoric occupation 120 000 à 42 000 ans avant le présent (≈ 60)
Neanderthal and Homo sapiens alternance.
2017
Fuliginochronological study
Fuliginochronological study 2017 (≈ 2017)
Analysis of prehistoric soot traces.
2022
Dating of layer E
Dating of layer E 2022 (≈ 2022)
Proof of Homo sapiens 54,000 years ago.
14 octobre 2024
Registration for Historic Monuments
Registration for Historic Monuments 14 octobre 2024 (≈ 2024)
Protection of the archaeological complex.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
The archaeological complex of the Mandrin Cave, located at the place known as Roucole, on parcels Nos. 240, 236, 59 and 65, covering the right-of-way of the deposit identified on parcels 240 (grotte and slope), 236 (thalweg), 59 and 65 (sommetal ridge and valley head), as delimited in red on the plan annexed to the decree. The plots are shown in the land register section AK: inscription by order of 14 October 2024
Key figures
Gaston Étienne - Site inventor
Discoverer in the 1960s.
Ludovic Slimak - Archaeologist and search director
Research Manager since 1991.
Yves Giraud - Former Director of Excavations
Predecessor of Ludovic Slimak.
Origin and history
The Mandrin Cave is a rock shelter located in Malataverne, Drôme (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), on the side of a limestone rock called Roucoule. Discovered in the 1960s by Gaston Étienne, it has been searched since 1991 under the direction of Yves Giraud and then Ludovic Slimak. His name evokes smuggler Louis Mandrin, although there is no evidence to confirm his presence. The site, inscribed in the Historic Monuments in 2024, covers the cave, its slope, and the surrounding areas.
The excavations revealed an alternate occupation by Neanderthalians and Homo sapiens between 120,000 and 42,000 B.C.E., sometimes within a few years. A 2022 study dated a layer (E) to -54,000 years, attributed to Homo sapiens, with modern tools and a child molar, framed by Neanderthal diapers. These findings suggest possible interactions between the two species and even one-off cohabitation.
The Mandrin cave delivered traces of prehistoric fires analyzed by fuliginochronology in 2017, revealing soot deposits on limestone walls. The archaeological assemblages of the E layer have similarities with those of the Levantin site of Ksar Akil (Lebanon), suggesting a possible migration of Homo sapiens from the Middle East. In 2015, Neandertal remains nicknamed "Thorn" were discovered, showing a genetically isolated population for 105,000 years.
The site, located at 226 m above sea level near the Rhone, offers an area of 25 m2 with an opening of 12 m oriented to the north. Since 2016, he has been monitored to preserve his integrity. The ongoing research, combining archaeology, genetics and advanced dating, makes it a major place to understand the transitions between Middle and Upper Paleolithic in Europe.
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