The Swiss megaliths, just like the English sites, hold an obvious interest for archaeology and astronomy. Within the sites located in Switzerland, the megaliths of Corcelles-Concise have some particular characteristics which are, in our opinion, relevant to point out. Indeed, using recent astronomical software, we have been able to attribute to this site a probable astronomical function. This lead us to wonder about the general use of this kind of location, with some insights on a cultual pla

Berti, Jérôme

Maillard, Pauline

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The Role of Astronomy in Society and Culture, E4, 1 of 4Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 260, 2009D. Valls-Gabaud & A. Boksenberg, eds.c© International Astronomical Union 2011doi:10.1017/S1743921311003243The Megalithic civilisation in Switzerland,its society and its monumentsPauline Maillard1 and Je´roˆme Berti21Section arche´ologie, Faculte´ de Lettres,Universite´ de Lausanne, Switzerlandemail: pauline.maillard@unil.ch2 Faculte´ des Hautes Etudes Commerciales,Universite´ de Lausanne, Switzerlandemail: jerome.berti@unil.chAbstract. The Swiss megaliths, just like the English sites, hold an obvious interest for archaeol-ogy and astronomy. Within the sites located in Switzerland, the megaliths of Corcelles–Concisehave some particular characteristics which are, in our opinion, relevant to point out. Indeed,using recent astronomical software, we have been able to attribute to this site a probable astro-nomical function. This lead us to wonder about the general use of this kind of location, withsome insights on a cultual plan.Keywords. Megaliths, neolithic, Switzerland1. IntroductionOur ﬁeld of observation focused on Switzerland during the 5th and 4th millenniaBCE. At that time, agricultural and pastoral societies are thought to have complexsocial functioning. It is in this new Europe that multiple and involved rites are going toappear. They may have foreshadowed the construction of megalithic structures varyingin shapes and signiﬁcations. The site of Corcelles-Concise (46◦55′55′′ N, 6◦42′30′′ E) inquestion is an rudimentary megalithic group, formed by four stones among which onehas been replaced in the modern period, the stones heights are between 150 and 240 cm.On the eastern menhir, a dozen engravings form small cavities.In 1994, excavations revealed the existence of two other existing menhirs buried ina pit ﬁlled with pebbles, in the extension of the South and East menhirs. The lack ofabsolute datation, of vestiges or of archaeological remains in direct association with themegalithic structure does not enable us to precisely date their stages of construction. Onthe other hand, some indirect indications would situate the emergence of megalithism inSwitzerland around the beginning of Middle Neolithic. This is possible to determine bystylistic comparisons with some French lithic buildings. In Corcelles-Consise, the analysisof scarce and fragmented potery conﬁrms these datation hypothesis.2. OverviewOnce the establishment of a plan is done, they appear to be forming a trapezium as itcan be observed in Fig. 2.By determining the azimuths in the diﬀerent axes, it becomes possible to notice theircorrelation with the astral rises and sets. To emphasise these probable alignments, it isnowadays easy to simulate the sky at the time (Middle Neolithic) and to note the riseand set of major stars, as well as the Sun and the Moon. These simulations can be carriedat https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921311003243Downloaded from https:/www.cambridge.org/core. University of Basel Library, on 30 May 2017 at 14:21:20, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available2 P. Maillard & J. BertiFigure 1. The archaeological site of Corcelles-Concise (CH).Table 1. Computerised resultsThe Sun (Middle Neolithic) The Sun in 2009rise set rise setWinter date 17 jan 17 jan 21 dec 21 decsolstice azimuth 130◦ 232◦ 131◦ 231◦Summer date 18 jul 18 jul 21 jun 21 junsolstice azimuth 56◦ 305◦ 55◦ 305◦The Moon (Middle Neolithic) The Moon in 2009rise set rise setWinter date 17 jan 17 jan 21 dec 21 decsolstice azimuth 55–136◦ 226–307◦ 58–139◦ 223–304◦Summer date 18 jul 18 jul 21 jun 21 junsolstice azimuth 55–136◦ 226–307◦ 58–139◦ 223–304◦out with software such as Starry Night Pro. The latter reliably and precisely enablesthe compensation of the phenomenon of precession and nutation. It is also possible toinsert the exact ﬁeld of view of the landscape. Information techniques greatly improvethe quality of the ﬁeld results.As expected, the precession-nutation phenomenon inﬂuences the solstices’ dates butnot really the positions of risings and setings. Then the azimuths determined by theaxes can be compared to computerised measures. They enable the observations of thefollowing examples:(a) The axis F , indicating 133◦, corresponds to the sunrise at winter solstice to within3◦. On the same day, the sunset seems to be indicated by axis C (235◦). That is to saya gap of again 3◦.(b) The axis C points towards the sunrise at summer solstice, to within 1◦. The sunsetdoes not seem to be inscribed.at https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921311003243Downloaded from https:/www.cambridge.org/core. University of Basel Library, on 30 May 2017 at 14:21:20, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, availableMegalithic civilisation in Switzerland 3Figure 2. Diagramme of Corcelles-Concise (CH).(c) Within an acceptable margin of error, the amplitude of the moonrise is betweenthe axes C (55◦) and F (133◦). Once again the extrema of the moonsets are not inscribed.The site of Corcelles-Concise seems to be mainly aligned on the sunrises and the moon-rises, whereas the sets of these heavenly bodies are not presented. It is crucial to keep inmind that the newly replaced stone could distort the interpretation of the site.With this study, we have been able to verify that the megalithic sites are built insuch a way that they are modelled on the solar, lunar and stellar movements and thatthey are much more widespread than the current studies lead us to believe. Indeed thestructures, qualiﬁed as “astronomical observatories”, indicate the major astronomicalevents. In our opinion they are not limited to the biggest complexes such as Stonehenge.It is indeed what is demonstrated by our study on the sites of French-speaking side ofSwitzerland. Even though this lithic building is relatively simple, the megalithic structurepoints towards axes corresponding to the movements of the Sun and the Moon at winterat https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921311003243Downloaded from https:/www.cambridge.org/core. University of Basel Library, on 30 May 2017 at 14:21:20, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available4 P. Maillard & J. Bertiand summer solstices. The rises of the two bodies seem, here, to be better inscribed thantheir sets.3. Function of the siteThe inscription of the solar and lunar movements on the stone buildings might havehad a predominant structure for the central European societies living oﬀ agriculture andfarming in the Neolithic. Indeed the knowledge of astronomy should not be surprisingas it was a necessity. It would be absurd to imagine this comprehension as of secondaryimportance in societies depending on the development of the seasons. Being able todetermine them by using the dates of the solstices certainly improved the quality oflife of these societies based on agriculture. Precisely knowing the rhythm of the seasonsallowed farmers to protect their harvests by anticipating any kinds of phenomena suchas risks of frost.4. ConclusionEven if the empirical proofs are almost inexistent, the cultual connotation of thesesites should not be minimised. It is very likely that the locations with possible astronom-ical observations characteristics also had religious functions. Moreover it is pertinent toimagine the matching up with a cult linked to fertility celebrating the renewal of nature,as the extensions of days announcing the Summer and the upcoming harvests.ReferencesAllenbach, W. 2002, Guide des sites religieux du Nord-Vaudois (Yverdon-les-Bains: Imprimeriedu Journal d’Yverdon)Aubert, E. 2005, Histoire d’Yverdon; Tome 1: Des temps pre´historiques a` la conqueˆte bernoise(Yverdon-les-Bains: Ed. Schaer)Gaillard, F. 1897, Les Sciences Populaires, revue mensuelle internationale d’astronomie deme´te´orologie et des sciences d’observation, 1, xGallay A. 2006, Les socie´te´s me´galithiques. Pouvoir des hommes, me´moires des morts (Lausanne:Presses polytechniques et universitaires romandes)Mohen, J.P. 2003, Cultes et rituels me´galithiques (Tours: La maison des roches)Moinat, P. & Gallay, A. 1998, Arche´ol. suisse, 21, 2Wu¨thrich, S. 2003, Saint-Aubin/ Derrie`re la Croix : Un complexe me´galithique durant leNe´olithique moyen et ﬁnal (Neuchaˆtel: Ed. du Ruau)at https:/www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1743921311003243Downloaded from https:/www.cambridge.org/core. University of Basel Library, on 30 May 2017 at 14:21:20, subject to the Cambridge Core terms of use, available

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