Grotte du Renne
 location in France
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| Location | caves of Arcy-sur-Cure |
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| Region | France |
| Coordinates | 47°36′13″N 3°44′27″E / 47.60361°N 3.74083°ECoordinates: 47°36′13″N 3°44′27″E / 47.60361°N 3.74083°E |
| Type | limestone karst underground cave complex |
| History | |
| Periods | late Upper Paleolithic |
| Cultures | Châtelperronian |
| Associated with | Neanderthal |
The Grotte du Renne (French for "Reindeer's cave/grotto") is one of the many caves at Arcy-sur-Cure in France, an archaeological site of the Middle/Upper Paleolithic period in the Yonne departement, Burgundy. It contains Châtelperronian lithic industry and Neanderthal remains. Grotte du Renne has been argued to provide the best evidence that Neanderthals developed aspects of modern behaviour before contact with modern humans, but this has been challenged by radiological dates, which suggest mixing of later human artifacts with Neanderthal remains. However, it has also been argued that the radiometric dates have been affected by post-recovery contamination, and statistical testing suggests the association between Neanderthal remains, Châtelperronian artefacts and personal ornaments is genuine, not the result of post-depositional processes.
It has 15 archaeological levels that cover a depth of about 4 m. From top to base they are labelled I to XV. Those of V and VI are Gravettian. Level VII is Proto-Aurignacian. VIII, IX and X are Châtelperronian (42 kya). Level X contains symbolic ornaments, awls, pierced animal teeth, and ivory pendants together with dental remains of Neanderthals.
Faunal remains include reindeer and horse, and these animals are the source of some of the bone tools used at the site. Some mammoth remains are visible, interpreted by Leroi-Gourhan as evidence for huts at the entrance, but this has not been substantiated.
Because Neanderthal remains coexist with artifacts showing complex behavior, such as personal ornaments, it has been argued that they had acquired the capacity for complex symbolic behavior associated with modern humans.
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