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Origin and history

Roc de Marsal is a sub-rock shelter in the Middle Paleolithic region, located in the Dordogne countryside. This prehistoric site, which was excavated in 1953 by amateur teacher and archaeologist Jean Ladaughter, revealed in 1961 an exceptional burial: the fossil remains of a Neanderthalian child, discovered in Mossterian levels. The excavations, carried out over 27 m2 until 1971, allowed to study the evolution of lithic industries (Quina-type Moustarian, typical Moustarian and toothed) during the Würmian glaciation.

The cave, of small dimensions (9 m deep, 5.50 m wide, 3 m high), opens at 180 m altitude in the limestone cliffs of the dry valley of the Redonde, a tributary of the Vézère. Its ceiling, marked by a south-west/north-east fault, results from the geological widening of this fracture. The site, protected since 1989 as historical monuments, is part of a major archaeological complex, close to famous caves such as Lascaux (28 km) or the Eyzies-de-Tayac (6-8 km).

After a 30-year break following Jean Ladaughter's death, new excavation campaigns were conducted between 2004 and 2010 by an international team (University of Pennsylvania, Max Planck Institute, National Museum of Eyzie Prehistory). This research has deepened understanding of human occupations and neanderthal funeral practices. Roc de Marsal is also part of the classified site of the Vézère Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage candidate since 2016.

Local geology, marked by the anticlinal of Saint-Cyprien, favored the formation of grainstone limestone cliffs of the Coniacian (upper Cretaceous). These conditions have preserved archaeological remains, including Musterian industries and traces of habitat. The small adjacent cavity, now obstructed, was probably connected to the main shelter prior to its collapse, according to J. Bouchereau (1967).

The site illustrates the inter-stratification of the different faces of the Moustarian (Quina, typical, with denticles) during the Würm, offering a rare testimony of Neanderthal cultural adaptations. The discovery of 1961, on August 15, marked a turning point in the study of prehistoric funeral practices, confirming the intentional burial of Neanderthals. The scientific authorities, alerted by Ladaughter, supervised the complete clearance of the skeleton in the following weeks.

Owned by the Dordogne department, the Roc de Marsal is located at the place called 41 Jean de Negrot, in an environment rich in prehistoric sites. Its inscription in 1989 covers the cadastral plots B 48, 49 and 52, while its approximate location (precision: 5/10) places it in the heart of the Black Perigord, 600 m downstream of the village of Campagne, along the RD 703.

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