Creuser puffs &filer :foyers et carrieres neolithiques de Mazieres-en-Mauges 《le Chemin Creux》(Maine-et-Loire)

摘要

Installed on the upper part of a slope facing south-east, along a lightlymarked thalweg, three hearths and a quarry pit for granodiorite blockextraction were excavated at Mazieres-en-Mauges, 5 km east of Cholet(Maine-et-Loire, France). They show a process requiring an importantlabour investment for an exceptional purpose, with no artefacts aban-doned on the site. The combustion structures are dated to around5800 BP, or the interval 4700-4600 cal. BC. This period corresponds tothe end of the Early Neolithic and the beginning of the Middle Neolithicin the region. The anthracological analysis shows the use of oak fromlarge trees, probably harvested as green wood. We may presume fromobserving the tree ring size that these trees grew in dense forest. Suchstructures are known for this period in France, but this is the first timewe have been able to explore the construction phase prior to the combus-tion activities. We thus have a glimpse of the elusive complexity of theseearly agro-pastoral societies. To stage their beliefs, these men also builtmenhirs, tumuli and dolmens, which require more energy. Now, our under-standing of Neolithic spaces must take into account these relativelyisolated places, where men worked together for activities that are nowforgotten.