The present volume, last in a series of five devoted to the Merovingian hamlet of Develier-Courtételle (Canton Jura, Switzerland), consists of three distinct parts. The spatial analysis of the site is the subject of the first section.... more
The present volume, last in a series of five devoted to the Merovingian hamlet of Develier-Courtételle (Canton Jura, Switzerland),
consists of three distinct parts. The spatial analysis of the site is
the subject of the first section. The second section contains a discussion of the historic and regional context of the site, as well as
an account of its organisation and evolution. The final section
presents the roman remains discovered during the excavation.
Located within the Jura mountain range at an altitude of 450 m,
the site lies on the banks of the brook “La Pran”, in a lateral valley
of the Delémont basin. A campaign of archaeological test trenching, prompted by the construction of the A16 motorway, led to the
discovery of this rural settlement. Some 3,5 ha of its surface were
excavated between 1993 and 1997 by the Section d’archéologie et
paléontologie of the Office de la culture (chap. 1).
The first section of the volume, which presents the spatial analysis
of the artefact scatters, opens with a short introduction (chap. 2).
The following chapter discusses the theory and method of intrasite spatial analysis, complete with a review of its role in Swiss
archaeology during the past 25 years (chap. 3). The specific circumstances conditioning the spatial analysis of this particular site are the subject of the following chapter (chap. 4) : how did the chosen
excavation and analytical methods, the differential conservation
of sedimentary layers and objects influence the observed artefact
scatters ? A detailed examination of the distribution of tile and
baked daub fragments (chap. 5) and of faunal remains (chap. 6)
precedes a short review of the spatial analyses of other artefact
classes, published in previous volumes of the series (chap. 7).
The next chapter contains a synthesis of the spatial analysis of
all artefact categories, presented separately for each farmstead
and activity area (chap. 8). The last chapter of this first section
of the volume discusses the contribution of spatial analysis to
the reconstruction of the organisation and evolution of the site.
Patterning resulting from the erstwhile presence of walls and enclosures reveals the existence of otherwise undocumented structures. The horizontal distribution of dated artefacts completes
our knowledge of the chronological relationships between different buildings, activity areas and farmsteads. The detailed analysis
of artefact scatters also highlights differences in discard behaviour
between the various parts of the settlement (chap. 9).
The second section of the volume opens with a review of the general historical context of the site and an analysis of the political
situation in the Jura region during early medieval times (chap. 10).
Sources describing local events are treated with particular attention. An overview of the regional archaeological record places the
establishment of the hamlet within a larger settlement pattern
(chap. 11). The site was inhabited well before the foundation of
the monastery of Moutier-Grandval. Its occupation coincides with
a phase of demographic growth documented over much of the Jura
mountain range. The following general synthesis (chap. 12) draws
on the results of a large spectrum of analyses of features, finds
and ecofacts. A concise description of the main characteristics of
each farmstead and activity area forms the foundation for a panoramic representation of the evolution of the settlement, beginning
with the founding of the three oldest farmsteads during the last
decades of the 6th century. The hamlet reaches its maximum size
before the middle of the 7th century. A major upheaval, dated to
the last quarter of the same century, leads to the desertion of the
eastern half of the settlement. The two western farmsteads, which
continue to function on their own for several decades, are in turn
abandoned around the middle of the 8th century (fig. 87).
Agriculture, animal husbandry and textile production are important components of the economy throughout site occupation.
Ironworking is of central importance from the beginning of the
settlement. Raw iron, brought onto the site as bloom, was refined
and transformed into finished objects. This produced a considerable surplus of metal objects, probably for export, until ironworking ceased during the period of upheaval marking the late
7th century. Different archaeometric analyses reveal the presence
of numerous imported objects and the existence of an extensive
exchange network. They shed light on the site’s place within the
local and regional economy. The chapter ends with a discussion
of the demography and social structure of the settlement, constrained by the limits of the archaeological evidence. The next
chapter, last of those dealing with the Merovingian hamlet, examines its position within a larger regional framework (chap. 13).
The foundation of the site occurs against the backdrop of a
regional boom of iron smelting during the 6th century. The partial abandonment of the settlement, which coincides with the end
of ironworking, may have been caused by one of several documented political crises of the late 7th century. Less is know of
the context surrounding the end of the occupation of the western
farmsteads towards the middle of the 8th century.
The last section of the volume is concerned with the roman remains found during the excavation. The few and rather modest
features dating to this period include a complex of clay extraction
pits and a short road segment (chap. 14). The pottery, dating for
the most part from the 1st and 2nd centuries, consists mainly of
residual objects found in medieval contexts ; only a few sherds
were discovered within the roman features (chap. 15). This also
holds true for the small group of iron objects (chap. 16). Both
assemblages are described in detail. A short synthesis correlates
these different strands of evidence and presents a few conclusions
on the occupation of the site and its surrounding areas during
roman times (chap. 17).
consists of three distinct parts. The spatial analysis of the site is
the subject of the first section. The second section contains a discussion of the historic and regional context of the site, as well as
an account of its organisation and evolution. The final section
presents the roman remains discovered during the excavation.
Located within the Jura mountain range at an altitude of 450 m,
the site lies on the banks of the brook “La Pran”, in a lateral valley
of the Delémont basin. A campaign of archaeological test trenching, prompted by the construction of the A16 motorway, led to the
discovery of this rural settlement. Some 3,5 ha of its surface were
excavated between 1993 and 1997 by the Section d’archéologie et
paléontologie of the Office de la culture (chap. 1).
The first section of the volume, which presents the spatial analysis
of the artefact scatters, opens with a short introduction (chap. 2).
The following chapter discusses the theory and method of intrasite spatial analysis, complete with a review of its role in Swiss
archaeology during the past 25 years (chap. 3). The specific circumstances conditioning the spatial analysis of this particular site are the subject of the following chapter (chap. 4) : how did the chosen
excavation and analytical methods, the differential conservation
of sedimentary layers and objects influence the observed artefact
scatters ? A detailed examination of the distribution of tile and
baked daub fragments (chap. 5) and of faunal remains (chap. 6)
precedes a short review of the spatial analyses of other artefact
classes, published in previous volumes of the series (chap. 7).
The next chapter contains a synthesis of the spatial analysis of
all artefact categories, presented separately for each farmstead
and activity area (chap. 8). The last chapter of this first section
of the volume discusses the contribution of spatial analysis to
the reconstruction of the organisation and evolution of the site.
Patterning resulting from the erstwhile presence of walls and enclosures reveals the existence of otherwise undocumented structures. The horizontal distribution of dated artefacts completes
our knowledge of the chronological relationships between different buildings, activity areas and farmsteads. The detailed analysis
of artefact scatters also highlights differences in discard behaviour
between the various parts of the settlement (chap. 9).
The second section of the volume opens with a review of the general historical context of the site and an analysis of the political
situation in the Jura region during early medieval times (chap. 10).
Sources describing local events are treated with particular attention. An overview of the regional archaeological record places the
establishment of the hamlet within a larger settlement pattern
(chap. 11). The site was inhabited well before the foundation of
the monastery of Moutier-Grandval. Its occupation coincides with
a phase of demographic growth documented over much of the Jura
mountain range. The following general synthesis (chap. 12) draws
on the results of a large spectrum of analyses of features, finds
and ecofacts. A concise description of the main characteristics of
each farmstead and activity area forms the foundation for a panoramic representation of the evolution of the settlement, beginning
with the founding of the three oldest farmsteads during the last
decades of the 6th century. The hamlet reaches its maximum size
before the middle of the 7th century. A major upheaval, dated to
the last quarter of the same century, leads to the desertion of the
eastern half of the settlement. The two western farmsteads, which
continue to function on their own for several decades, are in turn
abandoned around the middle of the 8th century (fig. 87).
Agriculture, animal husbandry and textile production are important components of the economy throughout site occupation.
Ironworking is of central importance from the beginning of the
settlement. Raw iron, brought onto the site as bloom, was refined
and transformed into finished objects. This produced a considerable surplus of metal objects, probably for export, until ironworking ceased during the period of upheaval marking the late
7th century. Different archaeometric analyses reveal the presence
of numerous imported objects and the existence of an extensive
exchange network. They shed light on the site’s place within the
local and regional economy. The chapter ends with a discussion
of the demography and social structure of the settlement, constrained by the limits of the archaeological evidence. The next
chapter, last of those dealing with the Merovingian hamlet, examines its position within a larger regional framework (chap. 13).
The foundation of the site occurs against the backdrop of a
regional boom of iron smelting during the 6th century. The partial abandonment of the settlement, which coincides with the end
of ironworking, may have been caused by one of several documented political crises of the late 7th century. Less is know of
the context surrounding the end of the occupation of the western
farmsteads towards the middle of the 8th century.
The last section of the volume is concerned with the roman remains found during the excavation. The few and rather modest
features dating to this period include a complex of clay extraction
pits and a short road segment (chap. 14). The pottery, dating for
the most part from the 1st and 2nd centuries, consists mainly of
residual objects found in medieval contexts ; only a few sherds
were discovered within the roman features (chap. 15). This also
holds true for the small group of iron objects (chap. 16). Both
assemblages are described in detail. A short synthesis correlates
these different strands of evidence and presents a few conclusions
on the occupation of the site and its surrounding areas during
roman times (chap. 17).
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In recent times many sedimentological, geomorphological and geoarchaeological studies were carried out at many locations on the Piano di Magadino, trying to reconstruct the evolution of the paleoenvironmental conditions of the area during... more
In recent times many sedimentological, geomorphological and geoarchaeological studies were carried out at many locations on the Piano di Magadino, trying to reconstruct the evolution of the paleoenvironmental conditions of the area during the late Holocene (Scapozza & Oppizzi, 2013). The age and stratigraphy of the deposits were determined using the radiocarbon dating method on organic matter debris and charcoals. This, combined with an accurate sedimentological characterization of the deposit, archaeological observations and dating, allowed interpreting the depositional context for the sedimentary and archaeological sequences found on the Piano di Magadino. This contribution focuses on new dating and stratigraphy determined in two archeological sites in Progero (Gudo, RFD 1078; 2’715’900/1’114’530, CH1903+/LV95) and in Gudo (RFD 80; 2’716’720/1’114’800, CH1903+/LV95). In Progero two main phases of hydrosedimentary activity shown by alluvial deposits could be observed. During the first alluvial phase many events with coarse material deposit succeeded and crosscut each other. These deposits are attributed to lateral alluvial fans or debris flows from the valley slope. After this phase, the first records of human settlement in the area are observed, which consist of backfillings of anthropic origin containing some debris of ceramic of early Bronze Age. Afterwards two events of finer deposits of fluvial origin are present; both are intercalated by remnants of human construction of middle Bronze Age. These deposits are probably attributed to a temporary palaeomeander of the Ticino river, which allowed the sudden deposition of fine material by rapid decantation. The presence of anthropic pavements at that time confirms the unpredictability of the events and the proximal position to the river of the human settlements. The site of Gudo is located northeast compared to the first site, closer to the valley slope and in a higher stratigraphical position. For this site four layers with coarser grain size deposits were observed suggesting four events of major hydrosedimentary activity in the area, which were constrained by radiocarbon dating: 400–370 BC (early Iron Age), 200–170 BC (middle Iron Age), 10–340 AD (Roman Age), 540–1000 AD (late Middle Ages). A wall of Iron Age found between the two first events confirms the dating and suggests a stable human settlement in the area during the Iron Age, as well as the need to build a dam for containing the floods, coming from the valley slope or from the river. The late Middle Ages increase in hydrosedimentary activity was also documented by historical informations (Scapozza, 2013) and by new radiocarbon dating in the Ticino river alluvial plain (Scapozza et al., 2017). The six hydrosedimentary activity phases highlighted in Progero and in Gudo by this study can be completed by more recent information from historical sources, highlighting two others phases of hydrosedimentary activity in 1178 AD and between 1690 and 1868 AD (Scapozza, 2013). Therefore, the integration of archaeological information in classical geomorphological and historical studies on the evolution of fluvial environments on the Ticino river catchment allowed the definition of eight phases of hydrosedimentary activity since the early Bronze Age.
Research Interests:
Le site de Develier-Courtetelle (JU), habitat rural du haut Moyen Age, couvre une surface de 3,5 ha et occupe le fond d'un vallon parcouru par un ruisseau. Six fermes et quatre zones a vocation specifique s'echelonnent le long de... more
Le site de Develier-Courtetelle (JU), habitat rural du haut Moyen Age, couvre une surface de 3,5 ha et occupe le fond d'un vallon parcouru par un ruisseau. Six fermes et quatre zones a vocation specifique s'echelonnent le long de ce cours d'eau. Chaque ferme comporte une habitation et plusieurs bâtiments annexes. L'abondant mobilier permet de reconstituer partiellement le reseau d'echanges qui a relie cet habitat avec le monde exterieur. Les ceramiques sont importees alors que les artefacts en metal ont surtout ete produits sur place. De nombreux liens de differente nature existaient entre les habitants de Develier-Courtetelle et les populations des regions avoisinantes. Des evenements importants semblent avoir perturbe le hameau durant la seconde moitie du VII e siecle. Les sources historiques disponibles permettem de rapprocher l'abandon partiel du site et l'arret du travail du fer aux turbulences qui ont suivi la fondation du monastere de Moutier-Grandval.