Morning session - part 1 11:15-12:45
Coastal or Continental Culture? The French Atlantic Coast during the End of the Neolithic Period
Camielsa Prévost (1)
Laboratoire IMBE (UMR7263 – CNRS – IRD237 – AMU/AU), Avignon Université, Avignon, France (1)
Keywords: Ceramic use, Atlantic coast, Late Neolithic
Reconstructing ancient sea levels is tricky on the French Atlantic Coast because of the flat landforms: in some places it is difficult to determine whether we are standing on an ancient coastline or a few kilometres inland. In this region, acidity, limited sedimentation, and erosion hinder the preservation of archaeological and zooarchaeological data. Bio-organic materials are exceptional outside marshes, which limits any evidence of fishing or basketry (i.e.). However, several sites provide clear evidence of fishing or shellfish gathering, demonstrating their proximity to the seashore. Ceramics at these sites are difficult to study due to complex cultural mosaic, simple forms, rare decoration and high fragmentation.
A PhD study on the lipid content of a large series of ceramics (n=500) from 23 archaeological sites explore the lifestyles of the populations of the end of the Neolithic and the beginning of the Bronze Age (4300-1500 BCE), their relationship with the coastal territory and the exploitation of maritime resources. Main findings revealed strong ties to livestock (dairy and ruminant meat) and land use with beeswax, pine resin, and vegetable wax – which seems to reflect specific local practices. The rarity of aquatic biomarkers found in ceramics suggest that fish were treated differently, even though they were prepared on the site.
This study offer insight into the Late Neolithic maritime cultural facies of the Atlantic coast, in terms of environmental exploitation and site proximity to the barrier beach. The behaviours highlighted contrast to those known via ORA studies i.e. in Northern Europe or Japan.
