TL dates for the Middle Paleolithic site of Combe-Capelle Bas,France

The Middle Paleolithic site of Combe-Capelle Bas, France, is known primarily from the excavations of Ami in the early part of the last century and more recently from the excavations of Dibble and Lenoir. Up to now, the only dates available for the site were based on geologic and paleoclimatic data. Most recently, Texier and Bertran suggest that the formation of the principal Mousterian deposits date to prior to OIS 6 and likely represent OIS 8 or even 10. The results of TL dating of burnt flints from these same deposits (Levels I-1D, I-1E, and I-2B), reported here, contradict this finding. They indicate an age of between 37 to 60 ka with six of the seven flints falling between 50–60 ka. This date fits well with Mousterian sites previously dated in this region of France.