Neanderthal cannibalism at Moula-Guercy, Ardeche, France

The cave site of Moula-Guercy, 80 meters above the modern Rhone River, was occupied by Neanderthals approximately 100,000 years ago. Excavations since 1991 have yielded rich paleontological, paleobotanical, and archaeological assemblages, including parts of six Neanderthals. The Neanderthals are con temporary with stone tools and faunal remains in the same tightly controlle d stratigraphic and spatial contexts. The inference of Neanderthal cannibal ism at Moula-Guercy is based on comparative analysis of hominid and ungulat e bone spatial distributions, modifications by stone tools, and skeletal pa rt representations.