Un nouveau gisement du Paléolithique supérieur récent : le Petit Cloup Barrat (Cabrerets, Lot, France)

Abstract Located on the same hillside as Pech Merle, 800 metres from the entrance of that famous decorated cave, the site of Petit Cloup Barrat opens onto the edge of a small doline. Though partially excavated at the beginning of the 20th century, this site has never been published. A test pit in 2003 was followed by excavations at the entrance of the cave in 2004 and 2005. The stratigraphic sequence, whose base is still unknown, yielded abundant lithic and organic remains attributed to the Middle Magdalenian, Badegoulian and Solutrean. In the upper ensemble, attributed to the Middle Magdalenian, numerous flint blade tools (scrapers, burins, borers and retouched blades) coexist with backed bladelets. The Badegoulian is identified based on flake tools, including raclettes and transverse burins on notches. The Solutrean, still little excavated, is characterized by fragmented shouldered points and one fragment of a Willow Leaf Point. The bone industry includes eyed needles, matrices on fox tibias and retouchers on medium-sized ungulate diaphyses. The antler projectile points are highly variable (with or without groove, double or median bevel, round or oval section). A fragment of a barbed element and a fragment of a bâton percé complete the inventory. Sawed and/ or pierced shells, principally dentalia, and herbivore incisors (reindeer, ibex) were used to make personal ornaments. A few fossils, some with distant origins, were also discovered. Archaeozoological analysis shows the marked presence of reindeer, followed by horse. Red deer and fox are attested by a few remains. The osseous material preserved in the cave permits precise observation of hunting seasons, butchery traces and modes of combustion. The site of Petit Cloup Barrat is localized within an ensemble of Upper Palaeolithic sites around the confluence of the Lot and Célé Rivers, including Cuzoul de Vers and Les Peyrugues. The study of this plateau site is thus integrated in a context of palaeoethnographic hypotheses that have already been partially proposed. The analysis of the material and integration of the results will contribute to a characterization of the subsistence economy in a still little-known natural environment and clarify its relationship with the sites that constitute its environment on different scales. The proximity of Pech Merle Cave and the possibility of establishing links between a dwelling site and a decorated cave constitute an additional motivation for our research.Résumé Localisé sur la colline de Pech Merle, à 800 mètres de l’entrée de la célèbre grotte ornée, le site du Petit Cloup Barrat s’ouvre en bordure d’une petite doline. Bien que partiellement fouillé au début du XXe siècle, le site n’a fait l’objet d’aucune publication. Un sondage d’évaluation a été réalisé en 2003 suivi, en 2004 et 2005, de fouilles programmées à l’entrée de la grotte. La séquence stratigraphique, dont la base n’est pas encore connue, a livré d’abondants vestiges lithiques et organiques attribués au Magdalénien moyen, au Badegoulien et au Solutréen. Dans l’ensemble supérieur attribué au Magdalénien moyen, de nombreux outils en silex sur lames (grattoirs, burins, perçoirs et lames retouchées) coexistent avec des lamelles à dos. Au dessous, le couple «raclettes/ burins transversaux» signe bien la présence du Badegoulien. À la base, le Solutréen, encore très peu fouillé, est caractérisé par des fragments de pointes à cran et un fragment de feuille de saule. L’industrie osseuse regroupe des aiguilles à chas, des matrices sur tibias de renard et des retouchoirs sur diaphyses d’ongulés de taille moyenne. Les pointes de projectiles en bois de renne montrent une forte variabilité (avec ou sans rainure, à biseau double ou médian, de section ronde ou ovale). Un fragment d’élément barbelé ainsi qu’un fragment de bâton percé complètent l’inventaire. Des coquilles, principalement des dentales, et des incisives d’herbivores (renne, bouquetin) sciées et/ ou perforées, ont servi à la confection des parures. Quelques fossiles, d’origine parfois lointaine, ont également été découverts. L’analyse archéozoologique montre la présence marquée du renne suivi par le cheval. Le cerf et le renard sont attestés par quelques restes. Le matériel osseux conservé dans la grotte permet l’observation précise des saisons d’abattage, des traces de boucherie et des modalités de combustion. Le Petit Cloup Barrat est localisé au sein d’un ensemble de sites du Paléolithique supérieur reconnus autour du confluent Lot-Célé, notamment les gisements de vallées du Cuzoul de Vers et des Peyrugues. C’est donc à l’intérieur d’un cadre d’hypothèses palethnographiques en partie déjà posées que s’insère l’étude de ce site de plateau. L’analyse du matériel et l’intégration des résultats devraient permettre de caractériser l’économie de subsistance dans un environnement naturel encore peu connu et de préciser ses relations avec les gisements constituant son environnement à différentes échelles. La proximité de la grotte de Pech Merle et la possibilité d’établir des liens entre un site d’habitat et une grotte ornée constituent une motivation supplémentaire à ces recherches.Castel Jean-Christophe, Chauvière François-Xavier, L'Homme Xavier, Camus Hubert, O’Farrell Magen. Un nouveau gisement du Paléolithique supérieur récent : le Petit Cloup Barrat (Cabrerets, Lot, France). In: Bulletin de la Société préhistorique française, tome 103, n°2, 2006. pp. 263-273

Un atelier monétaire gaulois près de Poitiers : les Rochereaux à Migné-Auxances (Vienne)

International audienceDie Einordnung des bäuerlichen Betriebs der Ebene von Rochereaux in Migné-Auxances als Münzprägestätte begründet sich auf folgende Argumente: (1) allein die Entdeckung in situ dieser auf die Herstellung von Schrötlingen spezialisierten Bronzewerkstätte und der damit in Verbindung stehenden Verbrennungsstrukturen und Werkzeuge; (2) das Vorhandensein von vierzig zum Teil noch zusammenhaftenden Schrötlingen in der Asche der zentralen Feuerstelle; (3) eine minimale Schätzung, die vermuten lässt, dass wenn man von einer einzigen Benutzung der 152 erfassten Schmelztiegel ausgeht, 15 000 Schrötlinge hergestellt werden konnten; (4) die Übereinstimmung von Legierung, Modulen und Gewichten der Schrötlinge und der Münzen der Fundstelle sowie die Konzentration dieses Münztyps im Territorium der Piktonen. Die Produktion der Schrötlinge und deren sehr wahrscheinliche Prägung vor Ort fand zwischen 130 und 100 v. Chr. statt. Es ist sehr wahrscheinlich, dass die fünf Kilometer von Poitiers entfernte Stätte in enger Abhängigkeit mit diesem oppidum stand.The attribution of the status of a mint to the rural establishment of the Rochereaux at Migné-Auxances (Vienne) plain is based on: (1) the discovery of the physical space of a bronzesmith workshop specialized in the fabrication of monetary blanks, associated with combustion structures and tools; (2) the presence of forty monetary blanks in the ashes of the central hearth, some of which are still associated in clusters; (3) a minimal estimation that leads us to propose that, from a single utilization of the 152 crucibles recorded, 15,000 monetary blanks could be fabricated; (4) the concurrence between - in alloys, proportions and weight - blanks and coins at the site, as well as the concentration of this type of coin in the Pictone territory. The production of blanks and their very likely minting at this site occurred between 130 and 100 BC. It is highly probable that this site, located 5 km from Poitiers, maintained close dependant links with this oppidum.L’attribution du statut d’atelier monétaire à l’établissement rural de plaine des Rochereaux à Migné-Auxances (Vienne) se fonde sur : (1) la découverte de l’espace physique de l’atelier de bronziers, spécialisé dans la fabrication de flans monétaires, associé à des structures de combustion et à des outils ; (2) la présence dans les cendres du foyer central de quarante flans monétaires, dont certains sont encore associés en grappe ; (3) une estimation minimale qui conduit à proposer que, à partir d’une seule utilisation des 152 creusets recensés, 15 000 flans monétaires ont pu être fabriqués ; (4) les coïncidences entre alliages, modules et poids des flans et des monnaies du site ainsi que la concentration de ce type de monnaies en territoire picton. La production des flans et leur très plausible frappe sur place eut lieu entre 130 et 100 av. J.-C. Il est fort possible que le site, situé à 5 km de Poitiers, ait entretenu des liens de dépendance étroits avec cet oppidum

The earliest unambiguous Neanderthal engravings on cave walls: La Roche-Cotard, Loire Valley, France

Here we report on Neanderthal engravings on a cave wall at La Roche-Cotard (LRC) in central France, made more than 57±3 thousand years ago. Following human occupation, the cave was completely sealed by cold-period sediments, which prevented access until its discovery in the 19th century and first excavation in the early 20th century. The timing of the closure of the cave is based on 50 optically stimulated luminescence ages derived from sediment collected inside and from around the cave. The anthropogenic origin of the spatially-structured, non-figurative marks found within the cave is confirmed using taphonomic, traceological and experimental evidence. Cave closure occurred significantly before the regional arrival of H. sapiens, and all artefacts from within the cave are typical Mousterian lithics; in Western Europe these are uniquely attributed to H. neanderthalensis. We conclude that the LRC engravings are unambiguous examples of Neanderthal abstract design

The earliest unambiguous Neanderthal engravings on cave walls: La Roche-Cotard, Loire Valley, France

Here we report on Neanderthal engravings on a cave wall at La Roche-Cotard (LRC) in central France, made more than 57±3 thousand years ago. Following human occupation, the cave was completely sealed by cold-period sediments, which prevented access until its discovery in the 19 th century and first excavation in the early 20 th century. The timing of the closure of the cave is based on 50 optically stimulated luminescence ages derived from sediment collected inside and from around the cave. The anthropogenic origin of the spatially-structured, non-figurative marks found within the cave is confirmed using taphonomic, traceological and experimental evidence. Cave closure occurred significantly before the regional arrival of H . sapiens , and all artefacts from within the cave are typical Mousterian lithics; in Western Europe these are uniquely attributed to H . neanderthalensis . We conclude that the LRC engravings are unambiguous examples of Neanderthal abstract design

S10 Fig -

Panel b. (panel of the fossil). From top to bottom, photograph and survey of ancient anthropic traces in black, animal traces in blue, surface of the fossil section in green, numbering of the traces. The clear traces are in continuous line, when the trace is deep the line is thicker. Traces that are more difficult to read are dashed. (TIF)</p

La Roche-Cotard site.

A. Map of La Roche-Cotard with its four loci: LRC I, LRC II, LRC III and LRC IV. In blue: location of anthropogenic marks. B. Profiles of slope sections (red lines in A) with location of sediments extracted in 1846.</p

Experimental determination of the direction of finger flutings.

A. Experiment: some crushed is prepared tuff, then placed in a small flat container, moistened a bit, beat and grooved with a finger on its surface. Result: on the bottom of the trace, some reliefs like scales lifted up in the opposite direction of the finger passage are observable. The black arrow indicates the direction of the trace; white arrows the scales. B. Circular Panel, trace C1a. The scales are visible on the bottom of trace (white arrows) and show the direction of the finger fluting. (TIF)</p

Analysis of the Triangular Panel and especially of its left part.

a). Survey of the finger flutings of the totality of the panel. It permit to situate the left part of the panel which has been studied particularly and specially the three preserved triangles A, B and C. b). Orthophoto from the photogrammetry of the left part of the panel. The two triangles A and B are clearly visible, the triangle C with some difficulty due to its alteration. c). The same surface with its contour lines which give the surface relief. The lines are equidistant sections (1mm) parallel to the average plane of the panel, not horizontal. d). A coloured model representing the microrelief of the panel. Red indicates concave surface (relative to the observer’s axis of vision), blue indicates convex surface. Thick line at 0 of the scale indicates flatness of the surface. The units of bending intensity are given in colour range from -0.18 (convex) to +0.08 (concave) for curvature, i.e., from 8 mm to 10 mm for radii of curve. The colour range on the right shows the range and gradation of the panel’s colouration: red and yellow are the concave surfaces (for the observer), green and blue the convex surfaces and, at the limit of yellow and green, the areas without curvature. e). Detail of the groove along the left side of the triangle A. Arrow 1 shows the beginning of the strong slope, Arrow 2 shows a narrow band corresponding to the part of the groove on the side of the triangle. Arrow 3 shows a red band corresponding to the deep part of the groove, Arrow 4 shows a wide yellow stripe corresponding to the other side of the groove with a very gentle slope. (Y. Egels, see S4 Text). (TIF)</p

S11 Fig -

Photograph of the Undulated and Circular Panels (panels d and e). The close proximity of these two panels suggests a connection between them. We do not rule out possible contemporaneity between them. Photo E. Lesvignes. (TIF)</p

Location of undisturbed deposits near the LRC I cave entrance.

The map locates the two orthophotos in the centre of the figure. The entrance of the cave, on the left orthophoto, is underlined in black. The dashed horizontal line corresponds to the altitude of the overhang to the pillar room as well as to the lower limit of the ceiling of the cave entrance. Below, the LRC II photograph shows only the upper part of the stratigraphy of this locus (Fig 5B), marking the period when sediments began to deposit on the slope. On the left, LRCI-a (Fig 5A) shows the middle and upper layers inside and outside the cave. Bottom right, LRCI-b (Fig 5A) also illustrates the same middle layer as found in LRCI-niches 1 and 2, but inside the cave entrance. LRCI-c (Fig 5A) shows the location of sediment remnants trapped in ancient and small galleries created by erosion in the hard cretaceous stone, belonging to the deposit which completed the sealing of the entrance. LRCI-d shows sediments very similar to those of LRCI-c (Fig 5A) which continued to accumulate for some time after the cave was closed. Altitudes are given to clarify the location of these different sections. The lower view of LRC I-niche 2 is from 1975 (Photogrammetry Iconem).</p