Janet Battentier
Université Nice Sophia Antipolis, Archaeo Botanic, Department Member
La grotte de Pertus II est implantée à 1000 m d'altitude à l'interface des influences écologiques alpines et méditerranéennes. Le site présente, pour le Chasséen récent, une stratigraphie longue et détaillée au cours de laquelle les... more
La grotte de Pertus II est implantée à 1000 m d'altitude à l'interface des influences écologiques alpines et méditerranéennes. Le site présente, pour le Chasséen récent, une stratigraphie longue et détaillée au cours de laquelle les modalités d'occupation du site évoluent dans le temps (bergerie, puis habitat-bergerie et atelier de potier). Cet enregistrement fin permet d'approcher, au moyen de l'analyse anthracologique, l'exploitation des ressources ligneuses au regard des activités pratiquées par les occupants du site, notamment l'élevage. Le paysage végétal apparaît contrasté, extensivement exploité par l'homme mais peu sensible à la pression anthropique. La diversité de la flore ligneuse récoltée pourrait être fonction des activités des occupants du site et/ou de la durée des occupations. Un apport de fourrage d'arbre-frêne (Fraxinus), noisetier (Corylus), chêne caducifolié (Quercus f.c.)-est probable dans les niveaux de bergerie. Abstract The Pertus II cave is located at 1000 m a.s.l. between alpine and Mediterranean ecologic influences. It displays a long and detailed stratigraphy for the Late Chassey period, during which the modalities of occupation change (first sheepfold only and secondly sheepfold and pottery workshop and dwelling). This detailed record allows us to document the exploitation of wood resources in function of the dweller's activities (in particular animal husbandry), by means of charcoal analysis. The vegetal landscape was contrasted and extensively exploited by humans, but not very sensitive to anthropogenic pressures. The variety of the ligneous vegetation exploited may be related to the dweller's activities and/or to the duration of the occupations of the site. The sheepfold levels suggest that tree-fodder – ash (Fraxinus), hazel (Corylus), and deciduous oak (Quercus f.c.) – was provided to the livestock.
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RÉSUMÉ : L'important corpus de charbons de bois issus de la fouille des niveaux néolithiques de l'abri Pendimoun, datés de 5 800 à 2 000 ans cal. BCE (Before the Common Era), permet une étude fine de la dynamique du paysage végétal, en... more
RÉSUMÉ : L'important corpus de charbons de bois issus de la fouille des niveaux néolithiques de l'abri Pendimoun, datés de 5 800 à 2 000 ans cal. BCE (Before the Common Era), permet une étude fine de la dynamique du paysage végétal, en lien avec l'exploitation agro-sylvo-pastorale du milieu et les variations du climat. Le spectre anthracologique reflète très tôt une végétation en mosaïque, où se côtoient une chênaie caducifoliée, des formations de lisières et des milieux ouverts. Ce paysage végétal contrasté renvoie originellement à des conditions topographiques et édaphiques variées, avant d'être favorisé par les activités humaines. La chênaie caducifoliée domine le spectre jusqu'au Chasséen, mais nous émettons l'hypothèse qu'elle a pu connaitre, au cours de cette période, un changement de physionomie, lié à son exploitation anthropique. Au Chasséen, le chêne sempervirent, plus compétitif en contexte perturbé, connaît une forte augmentation. Celle-ci coïncide avec l'intensification de l'exploitation pastorale de la montagne et avec la montée en puissance de l'utilisation des cavités, dont Pendimoun, comme bergeries. Ces évolutions se produisent au cours d'une période où les sociétés agro-sylvo-pastorales pourraient avoir délibérément choisi de remédier à une moindre disponibilité des basses terres pour les activités pastorales par l'exploitation étagée de la végétation. Mots-clés : Néolithique, sud-est de la France, végétation, charbons de bois, agro-pastoralisme ABSTRACT PENDIMOUN ROCK SHELTER (CASTELLAR, ALPES-MARITIMES): ENVIRONMENT EVOLUTION AND MANAGEMENT DURING THE NEOLITHIC (5,800-2,000 YEARS CAL. BCE) The broad charcoal analysis of the Neolithic (5,800-2,000 years cal. BCE; Before the Common Era) levels from Pendimoun rock shelter documents the vegetation dynamic, related to the agro-sylvo-pastoral exploitation of the environment and the climate variations. The charcoal spectrum reflects the early settlement of a mosaic landscape composed of deciduous oak forest, fringe-vegetation and shrubland. This mosaic landscape is originally linked to the contrasting topographic and edaphic conditions, before it had been favoured by the human activities. The deciduous oak forest is dominant until the Chassey period, but we assume it could have experienced a physiognomic change related to the anthropic exploitation during this period; actually the evergreen oak which is more competitive in disturbed conditions, then increases. This coincided with the intensification of mountain exploitation by shepherds, and the increase of the targeted use of caves (including Pendimoun) as sheepfold. The agro-sylvo-pastoral societies may have resolved the problem of a reduced availability of low-lands for pastoral purposes by a staged exploitation of the landscape.
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In the north western Mediterranean, in the area between the Rhone River and the Northern Apennines, the last Mesolithic societies (Castelnovian) and the first Neolithic societies (Impressed Ware or Impressa) coexisted during the first... more
In the north western Mediterranean, in the area between the Rhone River and the Northern Apennines, the last Mesolithic societies (Castelnovian) and the first Neolithic societies (Impressed Ware or Impressa) coexisted during the first half of the 6th millennium cal. BCE (Before Common Era). Linking the two settlement distribution patterns (mainly high lands and low lands for the Castelnovian versus Mediter-ranean coastal areas for the Impressa) to their specific environmental backgrounds during that period of coexistence enables us to document the attractiveness of the various available landscape units as a function of the subsistence practices (hunting, fishing and gathering versus agro-pastoralism). Pollen and charcoal data from 41 archaeological sites along with contemporaneous natural (off archaeological sites) sequences (hereafter referred to as " off-site sequences ") from three windows (Provence/Western Liguria, the middle Rhone valley/Prealps and Southern Alps, Eastern Liguria/Northern Apennines) were examined in order to reconstruct the vegetal landscape in the surroundings of the Mesolithic and Neolithic settlements between 6500 and 5400 cal. BCE. The importance of environmental versus cultural factors in the settlement preferences of both groups is discussed in order to document our reflection concerning non-consensual issues, such as the existence of interaction or avoidance behaviours or the sharing (or not) of parts or all of the territory and of its natural resources. The results notably highlight the expansion of fir forests that, based on ecological and accessibility criteria, could be considered as rather inauspicious for settlement and hunting as well as for pastoral activities. This expansion may have influenced the settlement patterns of both cultural complexes, leading populations to locate their settlements principally within landscape units that remained clear of extensive fir forests. It appears that, despite being motivated by the prevailing subsistence activities, the choice of an area of land for settlement is deeply guided by various other cultural factors which are less directly dependent upon natural resources. Thus, in an area providing a large range of possibilities, the landscape in which the groups establish themselves could be considered as just one of many cultural characteristics.
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occupations diachroniques dans le bassin de Saint-Maximin