Figure 4

Vallonnet Cave, sampling and dating results in geological context. (A) Two calcite samples were taken from Lower flowstone I and five from Upper flowtone IV for U-Th content and isotopic determination and U-Pb dating (Supplementary Figs 2 and 5 and Supplementary Tables 2 and 3). The U-Pb ages of calcite samples, PLI-H1 of complex I and PLIV-M and VM3 of complex IV. “J” and “CM” respectively represent the paleomagnetic subchrons termed Jaramillo and Cobb Mountain. (B) The data are compared with the stacked δ¹⁸O record of benthic foraminifera⁷². Numbers are marine isotope stages (MIS). Vertical blue bar denotes the paleomagnetic Cobb Mountain subchron from 1.215–1.190 Ma (ref. 39) at MIS 36. (C) Depth profile of measured paleomagnetic inclination from complexes I–V. The archaeological deposits (complex III: B1, B2, C) are contemporaneous with MIS 36.