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La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1 ("The Old Man") is an almost-complete male 
The remains were first studied by
Neanderthal
Neanderthals (, also ''Homo neanderthalensis'' and erroneously ''Homo sapiens neanderthalensis''), also written as Neandertals, are an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans who lived in Eurasia until about 40,000 years ago. While th ...
skeleton discovered in La Chapelle-aux-Saints
La Chapelle-aux-Saints (; oc, La Chapela daus Sents) is a commune in the Corrèze department in central France.
History Neanderthal skeleton
The La Chapelle-aux-Saints cave, bordering the Sourdoire valley, revealed many archeological artifacts b ...
, France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
by A. and J. Bouyssonie, and L. Bardon in 1908.
The individual was about 40 years of age at the time of his death. He was in bad health, having lost most of his teeth and suffering from bone resorption
Bone resorption is resorption of bone tissue, that is, the process by which osteoclasts break down the tissue in bones and release the minerals, resulting in a transfer of calcium from bone tissue to the blood.
The osteoclasts are multi-nucleated ...
in the mandible and advanced arthritis
Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In som ...
.
It is the most convincing example of a possible Neanderthal deliberate burial, but like all claimed Neanderthal burials, this isn't generally accepted.
The remains were first studied by Marcellin Boule
Pierre-Marcellin Boule (1 January 1861 – 4 July 1942), better known as merely Marcellin Boule, was a French palaeontologist, geologist, and anthropologist.
Early life and education
Pierre-Marcellin Boule was born in Montsalvy, France.
Care ...
, whose reconstruction of Neanderthal anatomy
Neanderthal anatomy differed from modern humans in that they had a more robust build and distinctive morphological features, especially on the cranium, which gradually accumulated more derived aspects, particularly in certain isolated geographi ...
based on la Chapelle-aux-Saints material shaped popular perceptions of the Neanderthals for over thirty years. The La Chapelle-aux-Saints specimen is typical of "classic" Western European Neanderthal anatomy. It is estimated to be about 60,000 years old.
Boule's reconstruction of La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1, published during 1911–1913, depicted Neanderthals with a thrust-forward skull, a spine without curvature, bent hips and knees and a divergent big toe.Marcellin Boule, ''L'homme fossile de la Chapelle-aux-Saints, extrait des Annales de paléontologie (1911-1913)'', Masson, Paris, 1913.
This depiction fitted in well with contemporary evolutionary scenarios in which Neanderthals were not considered to be direct ancestors of modern humans (the relationship of Neanderthals to modern humans remains a major debate in anthropology today).
In 1957, the remains were re-examined by Straus and Cave. These researchers depicted Neanderthal anatomy as being much more modern; in particular, their posture and gait was more or less identical to that of modern humans. Straus and Cave attributed Boule's errors to the severe osteoarthritis in the La Chapelle-aux-Saints Neanderthal, although physical anthropologist Erik Trinkaus has suggested that Boule's errors were primarily related to the fragmentary nature of the remains.
This specimen had lost many of his teeth, with evidence of healing. All of the mandibular molars were absent and consequently, some researchers suggested that the 'Old Man' would have needed someone to process his food for him. This was widely cited as an example of Neanderthal altruism, similar to Shanidar 1.
Later studies have shown that La Chapelle-aux-Saints 1 did have a number of incisors, canines and premolars in place and therefore would have been able to chew his own food, although perhaps with some difficulty.
See also
*List of Neanderthal fossils This is a list of Neanderthal fossils.
Some important European Neanderthals
Remains of more than 300 European Neanderthals have been found. This is a list of the most notable.
Southwest Asian Neanderthals
As of 2017, this list of Southwest A ...
References
External links
* {{Homo neanderthalensis, state=expanded Neanderthal fossils