Les hématites oolithiques du Néolithique ancien et du Mésolithique de Basse-Normandie (France) : caractérisation physico-chimique et recherche des provenances
- Early Neolithic & Mesolithic oolitic ironstones from Basse-Normandie (France) : chemical and physical characterization and provenance study
p. 89-119
Abstract
Oolitic ironstones (OIS) disccovered at archaeological (Early Neolithic & Mesolithic) sites in the Caen region (Basse-Normandie, France) were analyzed and compared with Ordovician OIS sampled in geological sites in Basse-Normandie, in order to establish the source of the raw materials used in prehistory. Samples of OIS were analyzed and characterized by X-ray diffraction (whole rock and clay fraction), LA-ICP-MS, HH-XRF and PIXE. Ironstone objects from Colombelles (early Neolithic) show compositions that are different from those recovered at Biéville-Beuville (final Mesolithic). Those at Colombelles were initially extracted from slightly weathered ironstone layers and it is suggested here that their extraction required extra digging to reach less weathered hematite-rich material. In contrast, OIS from Biéville-Beuville have a mineralogical composition indicative of more intense weathering, which might indicate collection of surface material. The final Mesolithic raw material of Biéville-Beuville seems to have been obtained through a different mode of acquisition than that utilized during the early Neolithic. Our research allows us to conclude that all the archaeological OIS from the Plain of Caen are of local or regional origins and that Devonian (Lower Famennian, Frasnian) OIS from Belgium, Lower/Middle Devonian, OIS from the Eifel (Germany) or Mesozoic OIS from Lorraine (in the three border areas between the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, Belgium and France) are totally lacking. Early Neolithic sites in Belgium contain no oolitic ironstone imported from Normandy. As a consequence, we can conclude that for this specific raw material, there is a lack of exchange between early Neolithic Belgian populations (Hesbaye and Dendre Springs) and the population of the Plain of Caen.
Index
Mots-clés
OIS, hématite oolithique Clinton-type, LA-ICP-MS, PIXE, fluorescence X, rubané, Néolithique ancien, Mésolithique, Caen, Basse-Normandie, FranceText
References
Bibliographical reference
Éric Goemaere, Hélène Salomon, Cyrille Billard, Guirec Querré, François Mathis, Mark Golitko, Carole Durbrulle-Brunaud, Xavier Savary and Roland Dreesen, « Les hématites oolithiques du Néolithique ancien et du Mésolithique de Basse-Normandie (France) : caractérisation physico-chimique et recherche des provenances », ERAUL, 143 | 2016, 89-119.
Electronic reference
Éric Goemaere, Hélène Salomon, Cyrille Billard, Guirec Querré, François Mathis, Mark Golitko, Carole Durbrulle-Brunaud, Xavier Savary and Roland Dreesen, « Les hématites oolithiques du Néolithique ancien et du Mésolithique de Basse-Normandie (France) : caractérisation physico-chimique et recherche des provenances », ERAUL [Online], 143 | 2016, Online since 29 November 2024, connection on 10 January 2025. URL : http://popups.lib.uliege.be/3041-5527/index.php?id=650
Authors
Éric Goemaere
Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, DO Terre et Histoire de la Vie, Service géologique de Belgique, 13, rue Jenner, 1000 Bruxelles (Belgique)
Hélène Salomon
Service de Préhistoire, F.R.S.-FNRS, Université de Liège, 7, place du XX août, 4000 Liège (Belgique)
Cyrille Billard
DRAC Normandie, Service régional de l’archéologie, 13bis, rue Saint-Ouen, 4052 Caen cedex 04 (France)
Guirec Querré
Université de Rennes 1, Laboratoire Archéosciences Rennes, CReAAH - UMR6566 CNRS, 263, avenue du Général Leclerc, Campus de Beaulieu - CS 74205, 35042 Rennes Cedex (France)
François Mathis
Université de Liège, Centre Européen d’Archéométrie, 10, Allée du 6 Août, Sart Tilman, 4000 Liège (Belgique)
Mark Golitko
Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, 621, Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556 (USA) ; Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois 60605 (USA)
Carole Durbrulle-Brunaud
UMR-CNRS 6143, Université de Caen, 2-4, rue des Tilleuls, 14000 Caen (France)
Xavier Savary
Service d’archéologie du département du Calvados, 36, rue Fred Scamaroni, 14000 Caen (France)
Roland Dreesen
Institut royal des Sciences naturelles de Belgique, DO Terre et Histoire de la Vie, Service géologique de Belgique, 13, rue Jenner, 1000 Bruxelles (Belgique)