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A new straight-tusked elephant tooth from Soulac-sur-Mer (Gironde, France). Review of elephant discoveries in the northern Médoc

Une nouvelle molaire d’élephant antique à Soulac-sur-Mer (Gironde, France). Bilan des découvertes d’élephants dans le Nord Médoc
Cédric Beauval, Patrick Michel, Mathieu Bosq, Pascal Bertran, François Lacrampe‑Cuyaubere et Sylvain Pasty
p. 21-30

Résumés

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Depuis cent cinquante ans, l’érosion littorale en Nord Médoc fait apparaître des vestiges d’éléphants antiques dans le secteur de la plage de l’Amélie, au sud de Soulac-sur-Mer (Gironde). La première découverte est mentionnée en 1875. Depuis ont notamment été découverts un squelette bien représenté en 1994, puis une mandibule et une dent isolée en 2000. Nous présentons ici une molaire supérieure trouvée par Pauline Debruges en 2014. Les trois dernières années, un fragment de défense de près de deux mètres et une vertèbre ont été recueillis. Ce matériel permet de compléter nos connaissances sur cette espèce fossile, de préciser la position stratigraphique des restes et de discuter l’âge des formations argileuses d’où proviennent ces restes.

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We would like to thank Pauline Debruges for enabling us to analyse the elephant tooth, as well as Dominique Brocheriou, Florence Verdin and Frédérique Eynaud for facilitating access to this material. We are grateful to Adrian Lister, Charalampos Kevrekidis, Anne-Marie Moigne and Eugène Morin for their comments and help. Thanks to Arnaud Filoux and George Konidaris for their reviews. We are indebted to Carlotta Tavormina and Christopher Sutcliffe for translating the manuscript.

1 - Stratigraphy and elephant remains in the l'Amélie beach area

1South of Soulac-sur-Mer, the beach stretches along the foot of a cliff about 10 metres high. Clays are located at the base of this coastal cliff, just above a sandy level and a bed of polygenic pebbles (Dubreuilh et al., 1971) which is only visible at low tide. These clays are overlain by a peaty level (“Lignite”), then by 7-8 m thick Pleistocene (Sable du Gurp Formation) and Holocene sands (Welsch, 1912; Dubreuilh, 1971). A synthetic stratigraphy was published by J.-P. Tastet (Tastet, 1999) and has recently been re-evaluated and dated by Bosq et al. (2019). The bed of polygenic pebbles, which lies unconformably over the previous deposits, forms the base of the Argiles du Gurp Formation. The hiatus is assumed to coincide with a marine abrasion surface. The Argiles du Gurp Formation then comprises grey sandy silts which indicate a tidal (estuarine) environment. According to pollen analyses (Marambat, 1992, 1995; O’Brien & Jones, 2003), the marine influence decreases toward the top of the sequence and the upper massive green clays are indicative of fresh water inputs, while the overlying Lignite testifies to a peaty freshwater pond. The overlying Sables du Gurp Formation is of aeolian origin (Sitzia, 2014; Bosq et al., 2019) and was deposited during subsequent glacial periods. Overall, the depositional context of the elephant remains was that of a coastal marsh close to the palaeo‑Garonne estuary (Elhaï & Prenant, 1963).

2The presence of elephant remains south of Soulac-sur-Mer (south-west France) has been known since the last quarter of the nineteenth century. A mandible was first attributed to an Early Pleistocene type of Mammuthus meridionalis Nesti (Gassies, 1875; Dulignon-Desgranges, 1877; Welsch, 1912). Later, the same specimen was assigned to a form that lived during the first half of the Middle Pleistocene, Mammuthus meridionalis var. cromerensis (Depéret et al., 1923; Fabre, 1939). In 1970, Prat and Aguirre (in Dubreuilh et al., 1971) re-attributed this and other remains to Palaeoloxodon antiquus. Stratigraphically, these remains were considered to have been derived from the top of the Argiles du Gurp Formation (Dulignon-Desgranges, 1877; Fabre, 1939). In contrast, Dubreuilh et al. (1971), who found new remains of elephants in the underlying polygenic pebbles, believed that they came from a level underlying these clays.

3In 1994, new elephant remains associated with a mandible of Dicerorhinus mercki were discovered embedded in the Argiles du Gurp at la Balise. A rescue excavation was carried out by Michel et al. (1994) who excavated a portion of the cranial and postcranial skeleton. These remains, along with a fragment of a mandible and an isolated tooth discovered in 2000, were attributed to P. antiquus (Beauval et al., 1998; Michel, 2002). The new tooth described in this paper was discovered in 2014 by Pauline Debruges. Since then, over the past three years, a nearly two metre-long tusk fragment was unearthed by Jean-Marie Lourenco in the same clays at la Balise in 2016, and a vertebra was collected on the beach in 2017. All the remains belong to at least two individuals (fig. 1) and come from a stretch of coastline less than 3 km long (fig. 2). Half of the remains were discovered still embedded in their original stratigraphic layer and all of them came from the Argiles du Gurp, except for one fragment which came from the polygenic pebble layer at the base of these clays (fig. 3).

Fig. 1: Skeletal representation of the straight-tusked elephant remains discovered in the L’Amélie beach area (Soulac-sur-Mer) since 1875.

Fig. 1: Skeletal representation of the straight-tusked elephant remains discovered in the L’Amélie beach area (Soulac-sur-Mer) since 1875.
Agrandir Original (jpeg, 32k)

The remains belong to the elephant excavated by P. Michel in 1994, unless marked otherwise.

Fig. 2: Geographical location of the elephant remains discovered in the L’Amélie beach area.

Fig. 2: Geographical location of the elephant remains discovered in the L’Amélie beach area.
Agrandir Original (jpeg, 80k)

Mandible found in 2000, tusk found in 2016, vertebra found in 2017 and partial skeleton excavated in 1994 came from la Balise. Upper molar found in 2014 and lower molar found in 2000 came from the L’Amélie beach. Fragments found in 1971 came from an area between La Négade and L’Amélie beach.

Fig. 3: Stratigraphical location of the elephant remains discovered in the Amélie beach area. Partial skeleton excavated in 1994, mandible found in 2000 and tusk found in 2016 came from the top of the Argiles du Gurp at la Balise.

Fig. 3: Stratigraphical location of the elephant remains discovered in the Amélie beach area. Partial skeleton excavated in 1994, mandible found in 2000 and tusk found in 2016 came from the top of the Argiles du Gurp at la Balise.
Agrandir Original (jpeg, 64k)

It is probable that the mandible discovered in 1875 is also derived from it. Fragments found in 1971 came from the gravel underlying the Argiles du Gurp. Other remains were found outside of any stratigraphic context, on the beach.

2 - Upper molar uncovered in 2014

4A single tooth was discovered in 2014 at L’Amélie beach, out of stratigraphical context. It is currently preserved in the Museum of Soulac-sur-Mer (Gironde). It is a mesial part of an upper molar, 16 cm long and about 20 cm in height. The anterior part is worn and the first plate consists of two enamel clusters; its posterior portion is broken and a minimum of five plates are missing (fig. 4).

5Ten plates are present overall. These are clearly visible on the lingual and vestibular surfaces despite the presence of the cementum, of which 8 (x7- with “x” small and poorly structured lamella in front of L2 and “-” missing posterior part) are in occlusion (tab.  1). The occlusal surface is 125 mm long and has a width of 80.5 mm (tab. 2).

6The highest plate (L8, just slightly abraded) of this tooth, which corresponds to Beden’s (1979) stage B3 or B4 (B3 : half of the plate is abraded, B4 : most of the plates are abraded), is about 195 mm high. The hypsodonty index (crown height / crown width) is 2.21. The lamellar frequency on the lingual and vestibular surfaces (Maglio, 1973; Lister & Sher, 2015) is 6.5. The loxodont sinuses are clearly visible on L2 and especially on L3 (fig. 2). On L2, the anterior and posterior enamel laminae diverge at the centre of the tooth, both folding backwards and giving the plate a bird-wing profile. For L3, the mesial and distal sides of the plate diverge at the centre of the tooth, the former folding forwards and the latter backwards. Consequently, the plate presents a diamond-shaped profile with offset tips. Despite the presence of several enamel clusters, the mesio-distal diameter of the plate for L4 and L5 is larger in the centre of the tooth. Each plate is neatly separated from the adjacent ones. The enamel is folded, especially in the central part of the tooth and in the L2, L3 and L4 laminae. The enamel is thin and relatively constant (about 1.9 mm thick). In the lingual half of the occlusal face, the cementum is deeply abraded (>7-8 mm) between the L2 and L3 laminae as well as between the L3 and L4 laminae. On the basis of its dimensions and morphology (triangular profile, convex occlusal surface, vestibular side higher than the lingual side), we identify this tooth as a left upper third molar. Its loxodont sinuses, the tightly folded enamel of the lamellae and its lamellar frequency are characteristic of a straight-tusked elephant. Compared with European straight-tusked elephants, this tooth exhibits considerable crown height and lamellar frequency as well as thin enamel (tab.  2). Its stage of wear corresponds to an adult over 35 years old (groups XXI-XXIII or more according to Laws (Laws, 1966), stages B3-C of the M3 according to Louguet-Lefebvre, 2005).

Fig. 4: Lingual (left) and occlusal (right) view of the left upper third molar of Palaeoloxodon antiquus discovered in 2014.

Fig. 4: Lingual (left) and occlusal (right) view of the left upper third molar of Palaeoloxodon antiquus discovered in 2014.
Agrandir Original (jpeg, 220k)

Tab.  1: Dimensions of the upper third molar lamellae of the Palaeoloxodon antiquus from Soulac-sur-Mer (all measurements in mm).

Tab.  1: Dimensions of the upper third molar lamellae of the Palaeoloxodon antiquus from Soulac-sur-Mer (all measurements in mm).
Agrandir Original (jpeg, 64k)

nm indicates not measurable values.

Tab.  2: Dimensions of the upper third molars of Palaeoloxodon antiquus from various European localities.

Tab.  2: Dimensions of the upper third molars of Palaeoloxodon antiquus from various European localities.
Agrandir Original (jpeg, 102k)

*: specimens whose M2 and M3 are both functional. m. = mean

3 - Straight-tusked elephant evolution and presence in Europe

7Straight-tusked elephants ranged from Western Europe to Japan. Several phylogenetic hypotheses have been proposed for this taxon. Aguirre (Aguirre, 1968, 1969a, b) attributed European palaeoloxodonts to Palaeoloxodon, a genus defined by Matsumoto in 1924 for Asian fossil elephants displaying median loxodont sinuses. Maglio (Maglio, 1973) considered them to be synonymous with the Asian Elephas namadicus and called them E. antiquus. Beden (1983) and Shoshani & Tassy (Shoshani & Tassy, 1996) argued that Palaeoloxodon is a subgenus of Elephas. Palaeoloxodon has since been confirmed as a monophyletic group by cladistic studies (Inuzuka & Takahashi, 2004; Shoshani et al., 2007). Mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analysis (Meyer et al., 2017) suggests the straight-tusked elephant was a close relative of the African forest elephant (Loxodonta cyclotis) but a recent study (Palkopoulou et al., 2018) argues for a more complex ancestry involving the ancestor of African elephants, forest elephants and mammoths. Palaeoloxodon is utilized in this study for the Eurasian species and for the African ancestors.

8Most authors have claimed that the origins of straight-tusked elephants have to be sought in the African Palaeoloxodon recki lineage (Maglio, 1973; Beden, 1979; Saegusa & Gilbert, 2008; Todd, 2010a), which is characterized by an increase in the number of lamellar plates and hypsodonty (Beden, 1979; Lister, 2013). Several morphotypes/subspecies have been defined within this lineage. According to Beden (1979), Palaeoloxodon recki atavus, dated to 2.3 to 1.6 Ma, was the direct ancestor of the European Palaeoloxodon, whereas Saegusa and Gilbert (2008) considered Palaeoloxodon recki recki, which lived around 1.0 Ma ago, a more likely candidate.

9The chronology of the spread of the palaeoloxodont elephant from Africa is poorly known. Todd (2010b) considered a migration out of Africa at ca. 2.5 Ma, and according to Saegusa and Gibert (2008), “…the immigration from Africa to Eurasia took place at around 1.0 Ma”; however, there are few reliable data in the Near East, Europe and Asia prior to the Middle Pleistocene, at ca. 780 ka (Goren-Inbar et al., 1994; Lister, 2015). It therefore seems probable that they left Africa between 700 and 850 ka. The oldest European evidence of early straight-tusked elephants is a molar found in Italy at Slivia (Palombo & Ferretti, 2005; Palombo, 2014; Lister, 2015) and estimated to be older than the Brunhes/Matuyama boundary at ~800-900 ka. Finds attributed to earlier dates in France at Soleilhac (Bonifay, 1996; Aouadi, 2001), at ca. 900 ka, in Spain at Huescar-1 (ca. 800 ka, Mazo, 1989; Kahlke et al., 2011) and Vallparadis (Madurell-Malapeira et al., 2010) are currently disputed due to problematic dating in the first case (Lacombat, 2005) and to identification issues in the following ones (Lister, 2004, 2015; Palombo, 2014). In Europe, Palaeoloxodon antiquus is present in England (e.g. Pakefield-Kessingland: Stuart & Lister, 2001; Aveley: Stuart, 1982), in Germany (e.g. Crumstadt: Kroll, 1991; Neumark-Nord 1, Taubach, Gröbern: Fischer, 2004; Gaudzinski, 2004; Palombo et al., 2010; Lehrigen: Movius, 1950; Mosbach, Mauer: Kahlke et al., 2011), in Italy (e.g. Polledrara: Palombo & Ferretti, 2005; Castel di Guido: Segre & Ascenzi, 1984; Notarchirico: Cassoli et al., 1993; Piperno et al., 1998; Riano: Maccagno, 1962), in the Netherlands (e.g. Neede: Roding, 1953; Maastricht, Rhenen: van Kolfschoten, 1988), in Spain (e.g. Aridos: Soto, 1980; Torralba, Ambrona: Shipman & Rose, 1983; Villa et al., 2005) ; in Greece (e.g. Amyntaio: Tsoukala et al., 2011; Kevrekidis & Mol, 2016; Grevena: Tsoukala & Lister, 1998; Marathousa-1, Ambelia: Tsoukala et al., 2011; Konidaris et al., 2018) and in France (e.g. Le Tilloux, Le Chatelard: Beden, 1969; Biache-Saint-Vaast: Louguet-Lefebvre, 2005; Ranville: Auguste, 2008; Caours: Antoine et al., 2006; Gramat: Crochet et al., 1996; Bretignolles-sur-Mer: Pouit & Viaud, 2002). Palaeoloxodon also occurred in Eastern Europe and the former USSR as far east as Kazakhstan during the Middle Pleistocene (Pushkina, 2007) as well as in Israel (e.g. Revadim: Rabinovitch et al., 2012; Holon: Chazan et al., 2001; Davies & Lister, 2007).

10The last appearances of P. antiquus are traced to the latest Pleistocene. For instance, this is the case of a tooth from Guattari (Italy) ESR dated to 57 ± 6 ka (average linear uptake age for surface and layer 1, Schwarcz et al., 1991). At Foz do Enxarrique (Portugal), a specimen is now dated to ca. 33-34 ka on the basis of the U/Th date of a horse tooth found in association with the elephant remains (Antunes & Cardoso, 1992; Sousa & Fiqueiredo, 2001). Two teeth from Cueva del Castillo (Spain) are now 14C dated to 42900 ± 1400 BP (OxA-10187) and > 47300 BP (OxA-10188); a tooth from the North Sea off the Zeeland coast (the Netherlands) has been dated to 37440 + 350/- 310 BP (GrA-25815) (Mol et al., 2007) by AMS 14C. Four additional, well-preserved teeth from the North Sea yielded dates >  45000 BP (GrA-30740, GrA-30590, GrA-30591 and GrA-30592) (Mol et al., 2007). More controversial is a skeleton from northern Spain that has been 14C dated to 23575 ± 1125 BP (Pinto Llona & Aguirre, 1999), an age refuted by most authors (cf. Mol et al., 2007). The extinction of straight-tusked elephants has recently been the focus of a number of syntheses. Stuart (2005), Mol et al. (2007) and Braun and Palombo (2012) argued that straight-tusked elephants were present in northwestern Europe until at least 45-50 ka, and in the Iberian Peninsula at least until 33 ka. It should also be noted that elephants have occasionally been identified in Palaeolithic cave art (Arca, 2014). At El Castillo, Braun and Palombo (2012) believe that the painting identified by Breuil (1952) as depicting a straight-tusked elephant is correct. This hypothesis seems to be supported by the presence of Palaeoloxodon antiquus teeth in the Aurignacian levels at this site (Altuna, 1972). However, direct dating of the teeth (Stuart, 2005; see above) suggested that they are probably older than the period of human occupation.

11In terms of evolutionary trends, Aguirre et al. (1973) suggested that within the P. antiquus lineage lamellar frequency and intense hypsodonty increased while enamel thickness decreased over time. This evolutionary trend is observed in the African P. recki (Beden, 1979). Given this trend, reduced enamel thickness and strong hypsodonty would indicate late individuals. This is consistent with the Warsaw elephant (Jakubowski et al., 1968), which displays a large molar with a high crown and thin enamel. However, some of these evolved characters are already present in individuals dated earlier than 300 ka (e.g. hypsodonty and high lamellar frequency for a Santo Stefano tooth ; Palombo & Villa, 2003). For this reason, some authors such as Palombo and Ferretti (2005) and Davies and Lister (2007) claimed that these evolutionary trends do not apply to late Middle and Upper Pleistocene individuals.

4 - Biotope

12Although straight-tusked elephants are commonly named forest elephants, recent studies indicate much more flexible ecological adaptations (e.g. Palombo et al., 2010). Their arrival in Europe coincided with the disappearance of Mammuthus meridionalis, which probably also fed on tree leaves (Palombo & Curiel, 2003; Rivals et al., 2012) and Lister (2004) suggested their arrival could have forced the latter out. Dental micro-wear studies (Palombo et al., 2005; Grube et al., 2010; Rivals et al., 2012) showed that the straight-tusked elephant was a mixed feeder. It was a browser but also occasionally a grazer species, especially during the early Middle Pleistocene. It is present in central and northern Europe during the temperate MIS 13, 11, 9, 7 and 5e stages and absent during colder stages (Stuart, 1982; Lister, 2004). Some specimens of straight-tusked elephants have been uncovered from glacial periods in the southern parts of Europe, including specimens from Grevena, Greece (MIS 6; Tsoukala & Lister, 1998), remains from Lazaret, France (MIS 6; Valensi, 2009), Estanque de Tormentas de Butarque, Spain (MIS 6; Panera et al., 2014; Blain et al., 2017) and a number of specimens from Italy dated to MIS 4 (Guattari: Schwarcz et al., 1991; Canale delle Acque Alte: Caloi & Palombo, 1995; Ingarano: Petronio & Sardella, 1998). During temperate phases, the straight-tusked elephant could have thrived alongside the Mammuthus trogontherii, as indicated by the possible co-occurrence of these taxa at Mosbach, Mauer and Pakefield (MIS 15-13; Lister, 2004 versus Kahlke et al., 2011) and at Ponte Galeria and Campo Verde (Palombo & Ferretti, 2005).

5 - Age of the argiles du gurp and elephant remains

13All elephant remains were found in a stratigraphical context located at the top of the Argiles du Gurp or in the polygenic pebble layer at the base of the clays. The age of the Palaeoloxodont-bearing level has long been a matter of debate. Beauval et al. (1998) proposed an Eemian (MIS 5e) or Holsteinian (MIS 11) age for the remains found in the same level as a mandible of Dicerorhinus mercki (Michel et al., 1994). Michel (2002) favoured an MIS 5e age because of the high hypsodont character and the reduced thickness of the enamel (advanced traits) of the teeth. At that time, available radiocarbon ages of ca. 30 ka BP (29.8 ± 1.7 ka BP, 33.2 ± 1.7 ka BP, Dubreuilh (1971) geographic coordinates and laboratory references not specified) and > 50 ka BP (UQ1993 & LY4596) (Tastet, 1999) for the Lignite (overlying the Argiles du Gurp) provided a terminus ante quem. O’Brien and Jones (O’Brien & Jones, 2003) carried out a multi-proxy analysis (pollen, plant macrofossils, dinoflagellates) of the sedimentary sequence. Their data strongly suggested that the deposition of the Argiles du Gurp occurred at the end of MIS 11 on the basis of comparisons with the Velay pollen sequence (Reille et al., 2000; de Beaulieu et al., 2001). New ESR ages obtained in recent years indicate an age closer to 220 ka for the upper part of the Sables du Gurp Formation at Pointe de la Négade (Sitzia, 2014; Sitzia et al., 2015). Finally, new IR-RF and ESR dating carried out as part of the LITAQ project (Kreutzer et al., 2018; Bosq et al., 2019) has yielded in the same area a mean age of 348 ± 37 ka for the lower part of the Sables du Gurp Formation, i.e. MIS 10, which would be in agreement with the pollen-based estimate for the underlying Lignite (MIS 11).

14The IR-RF age (289 ± 34 ka) (IR-RF, BDX16648) obtained on green estuarine clays at l’Amélie-Nord suggests that they were deposited during the MIS 9 interglacial and, thus, correspond to a sedimentary unit distinct from the Argiles du Gurp Formation and so far unrecognized because of close similarities in depositional context (tide-influenced marsh) and lithofacies. This unit, referred to as “Argiles de L’Amélie”, crops out at the base of the coastal cliff only in a limited area (a few hundred metres wide) area north of the L’Amélie beach, and testifies to the progressive migration of the Garonne estuary to the north during the Pleistocene.

15Overall, the new dates are consistent with a MIS 11 or MIS 9 age for the elephant remains. The location of the skeleton excavated in 1994 (Michel et al., 1994), as well as the mandible found in 2000 and the tusk, indicate that it came from the Argiles du Gurp sensu stricto (i.e. MIS 11) at la Balise. Only the few fragments found in 1971 came from the polygenic pebble layer at the base of these clays. According to the latest stratigraphic study (Bosq et al., 2019), this layer is thought to be the basal part of the Argiles du Gurp unit and is attributed to MIS 11. Other discoveries in the L’Amélie beach area are in a secondary position and could come from overlying layers. However, the limited extent of the MIS 9 clays in comparison with the MIS 11 clays suggests a MIS 9 age to be less likely for most of the remains.

6 - Conclusion

16The Proboscidea remains discovered in recent years in the northern Médoc all belong to the straight-tusked elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus. For those fossils whose stratigraphic origin is known, the remains were all found within the Argiles du Gurp Formation or the underlying polygenic pebble layer. The pollen-based reconstructed environment (O’Brien & Jones, 2003) for the Argiles du Gurp, i.e. a brackish to freshwater coastal pond bordered by temperate alder-fir-oak forests, is consistent with Palaeoloxodon ecology. While previously a matter of debate, the age of the levels yielding elephant remains is now attributed to MIS 11.

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Bibliographie

Web links

3D models of the mandible (discovered in 2000) and the tooth (discovered in 2014) can be found at this web link :

http://www.archeosphere.com/valorisation/lelephant-antique/

3D model of the tooth discovered in 2014 :

https://sketchfab.com/models/d757765dad284ebe99a21f9078d7d173

3D model of the mandible discovered in 2000 :

https://sketchfab.com/models/c1eaea13da1e4366a6daf0f92567d631

3D models of the tooth and the mandible :

https://sketchfab.com/models/3b1145359258492486cbbd6d8f6f1448

Videos showing the mandible discovered in 2000 and the tooth discovered in 2014 :

http://www.archeosphere.com/valorisation/lelephant-antique/

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Table des illustrations

Titre Fig. 1: Skeletal representation of the straight-tusked elephant remains discovered in the L’Amélie beach area (Soulac-sur-Mer) since 1875.
Légende The remains belong to the elephant excavated by P. Michel in 1994, unless marked otherwise.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/11117/img-1.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 32k
Titre Fig. 2: Geographical location of the elephant remains discovered in the L’Amélie beach area.
Légende Mandible found in 2000, tusk found in 2016, vertebra found in 2017 and partial skeleton excavated in 1994 came from la Balise. Upper molar found in 2014 and lower molar found in 2000 came from the L’Amélie beach. Fragments found in 1971 came from an area between La Négade and L’Amélie beach.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/11117/img-2.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 80k
Titre Fig. 3: Stratigraphical location of the elephant remains discovered in the Amélie beach area. Partial skeleton excavated in 1994, mandible found in 2000 and tusk found in 2016 came from the top of the Argiles du Gurp at la Balise.
Légende It is probable that the mandible discovered in 1875 is also derived from it. Fragments found in 1971 came from the gravel underlying the Argiles du Gurp. Other remains were found outside of any stratigraphic context, on the beach.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/11117/img-3.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 64k
Titre Fig. 4: Lingual (left) and occlusal (right) view of the left upper third molar of Palaeoloxodon antiquus discovered in 2014.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/11117/img-4.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 220k
Titre Tab.  1: Dimensions of the upper third molar lamellae of the Palaeoloxodon antiquus from Soulac-sur-Mer (all measurements in mm).
Légende nm indicates not measurable values.
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/11117/img-5.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 64k
Titre Tab.  2: Dimensions of the upper third molars of Palaeoloxodon antiquus from various European localities.
Légende *: specimens whose M2 and M3 are both functional. m. = mean
URL http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/docannexe/image/11117/img-6.jpg
Fichier image/jpeg, 102k
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Cédric Beauval, Patrick Michel, Mathieu Bosq, Pascal Bertran, François Lacrampe‑Cuyaubere et Sylvain Pasty, « A new straight-tusked elephant tooth from Soulac-sur-Mer (Gironde, France). Review of elephant discoveries in the northern Médoc », Quaternaire, vol. 30/1 | 2019, 21-30.

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Cédric Beauval, Patrick Michel, Mathieu Bosq, Pascal Bertran, François Lacrampe‑Cuyaubere et Sylvain Pasty, « A new straight-tusked elephant tooth from Soulac-sur-Mer (Gironde, France). Review of elephant discoveries in the northern Médoc », Quaternaire [En ligne], vol. 30/1 | 2019, mis en ligne le 01 janvier 2021, consulté le 12 décembre 2024. URL : http://journals.openedition.org/quaternaire/11117 ; DOI : https://doi.org/10.4000/quaternaire.11117

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Auteurs

Cédric Beauval

Archéosphère, 2 rue des Noyers, FR-11500 QUIRBAJOU. Courriel  : c.beauval@archeosphere.com; Get in situ, 1 Place Rodolphe‑Théophile‑Bosshard, CH-1097 RIEX.

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Patrick Michel

 PACEA, Université de Bordeaux – CNRS, bâtiment B2, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, CS 50023, FR-33615 PESSAC cedex.

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Mathieu Bosq

PACEA, Université de Bordeaux – CNRS, bâtiment B2, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, CS 50023, FR-33615 PESSAC cedex.

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Pascal Bertran

PACEA, Université de Bordeaux – CNRS, bâtiment B2, Allée Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, CS 50023, FR-33615 PESSAC cedex;  Inrap, Centre de recherches archéologiques de Bègles, 140 avenue du Maréchal Leclerc, CS 50036, FR-33323 BÈgles cedex.

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François Lacrampe‑Cuyaubere

Archéosphère, 2 rue des Noyers, FR-11500 QUIRBAJOU ;  Get in situ, 1 Place Rodolphe‑Théophile‑Bosshard, CH-1097 RIEX.

Sylvain Pasty

Archéosphère, 2 rue des Noyers, FR-11500 QUIRBAJOU ; Get in situ, 1 Place Rodolphe-Théophile-Bosshard, CH-1097 RIEX

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