Het „Neandertal-achtige” bot van Rhenen, en een paar andere menselijke resten uit Nederland: Dateringsproblemen

In this article results are presented of research concerning the dating of fragments of human skeletons from the Netherlands. In the first place a fragment of a human femur from one of the sandpits near Rhenen is dealt with. According to BOSSCHA ERDBRINK et at. (1979a) it probably concerns a bone from a Neandertaloid. The state of fossilisation of the bone and its nitrogen and fluorine contents, however, point to a Holocene age of the specimen. A radiocarbon dating places the bone in the Early Middle Ages. Furthermore the age of a skull-fragment from Zwolle is discussed. An analysis by the anatomist G.N. van Vark suggested that it possibly concerns a bone of a type of man older than the Neandertaloids. Again the state of fossilisation and chemical analyses indicate a dating in the Holocene. The radiocarbon measurement dates the skull-fragment in the Late Middle Ages. Critical remarks are made concerning several human skeletal remains from the IJssel Valley, published under the name of ”River Valley People” by BOSSCHA ERDBRINK et al. (i.a. 1979b; 1980). A Pleistocene age for several of these specimens is not proven. Finally, results of the chemical analysis of several human bones from Empel (at the river Meuse) are presented. It is concluded that in the case of human skeletal remains suspected to be of Pleistocene age, it is of great importance to apply scientific dating techniques. For example, it has recently become possible to date very small samples with the radiocarbon method.