title: Vergisson 4: a left-handed Neandertal.
abstract: Handedness is an important marker for lateralization of humans in the modern and fossil record. For the most part, Neandertals and their ancestors are strongly right-handed. We describe a single tooth from a Neandertal level at Vergisson 4 (Vg 4-83). This left upper central incisor shows all the features typical of Neandertal incisors. It also exhibits a predominance of left-handed striations.
  
  
  
  Striations on the incisor's labial surface were mapped at 20x magnification using Photoshop. Angulations of the striations were determined from their deviation from the maximum mesio-distal line and were analyzed using NIH's freeware, Image J.
  
  
  
  Of the 60 labial surface striations, Vg 4-83 shows a strong predominance of left-handed striations (46; 76.7%), which are statistically significantly different (p < .001 with a two-tailed chi2test) from the small number (3) of right-handed striations.
  
  
  
  The identification of another left-handed Neandertal adds to our understanding about handedness variation in this fossil hominin. Given the high frequency of right-handed Neandertals, the 90: 10 modern ratio is still preserved in this group.
authors.affiliation: UMR 7268-ADÉS (Anthropologie bio-culturelle, Droit, Éthique and Santé), CNRS/Université d'Aix-Marseille/EFS, Faculté de Médecine-Secteur Nord, Marseille Cédex 15, France.
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Condemi
authors.affiliation: University of Pennsylvania, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Janet
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Monge
authors.affiliation: Maison du Grand Site & Musée de Préhistoire, Solutré Pouilly Vergisson, Grand Site de France, Solutré Pouilly, 71960, France.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quertelet
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas, 66045.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Frayer
authors.affiliation: Académie des Sciences, Arts et Belles Lettres de Mâcon, 71870, Mâcon, France.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Combier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000885:Anthropology, Physical; D005580:Fossils; D005602:France; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D007180:Incisor / Q000473:pathology*; D059125:Neanderthals / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: Mousterian; handedness; lateralization; maxillary central incisor