Adrien Reggio

South-East France is rich in siliceous resources. In particular the lower Cretaceous of the department
of Vaucluse (Bedoulian), frequently called “honey flint”. This flint was intensively exploited during
Prehistory, especially during the Middle Neolithic period (4500 - 3500 BC; Binder, 1998; Léa, 2004).
During this period it circulates over a large area in the form of blades, heated cores or heated bladelets.
In recent years, work in this sector has mainly focused on the acquisition of raw materials, the
location and extension of mines and quarries, particularly in the area of Murs, Malaucène and Sault
(Labriffe (de) et al., submitted). Once the flint is extracted, the question is to know where and how
the different stages of production took place.
We will try to define the different production sites based on the lithic industry collected during
our surveys. The large blades appear to have been made directly at the extraction sites as suggested
by the presence of cores. On the contrary, the spatial organisation of heated bladelets production
is more complex. In addition to the large workshops in mines and quarries, there are “secondary
workshops” located outside the extraction areas. We will present the specificities of the different
workshops we have identified.

During the Middle Neolithic in southern France during the 5 th millennium cal. BC (Chassey culture) and the 4 th millennium cal. BC, long blades and bladelets made of Bedoulian flint circulated. This diffusion is made over a wide area from the south eastern of France and beyond the Chassey culture sphere (Swiss, Northern Italy and Spain). There is agreement that these blades and bladelets were produced by highly skilled knappers. Production and diffusion of heat treated Bedoulian flint bladelet and nucleus component is well known and characterized, with production site and consumption site. While the production of larger non-heated blades in bedoulian flint still remains relatively poorly understood. Recently, the study of the lithic assemblages from a series of Chassey settlements and workshops in the south of France has provided key data about the local organisation of non-heated long blades production and defined a 'community of practice' organized around few workshop. These results make possible further studies aiming at characterizing the margins production and diffusion processes, from production areas in south eastern France to the distant end of the exchange networks in Catalonia region (in the north eastern of Spain). It is this problematic that we will discuss in this communication

Neolithic mines and quarries from Murs and Malaucène have been known since the beginning of the 20th century, mainly because hundreds of grooved mallets were discovered on these sites. These two mines are extremely important, on the one hand because of the size of the exploited areas (more than 250 ha each) and on the other because of the high quality of the remains which are preserved. Moreover during the Chassean period (4500-3500 BC) the raw material extracted in Murs and Malaucène was distributed all over the northwestern Mediterranean seashore and along the Rhone Valley. However, despite an early discovery, information available about flint extraction methods is still incomplete. We will assess existing data, present the first results of our own work started in 2015 and outline the goals of the programme we aim to pursue. Résumé Les mines et carrières de Murs et Malaucène sont connues depuis le début du XX ème siècle, essentiellement pour les centaines de maillets à gorge découverts sur ces sites. Ces deux sites sont extrêmement importants, d'une part par l'étendue des exploitations reconnues (plus de 250 ha chacune) et d'autre part, par l'ampleur des vestiges qui y sont conservés. De plus, pendant le Chasséen, la matière première exploitée à Murs et Malaucène sera diffusée sur l'ensemble du pourtour de la Méditerranée nord-occidentale et le long de la vallée du Rhône. Toutefois, malgré une identification précoce, les données disponibles sur les modalités d'extraction pratiquées sur ces deux sites sont encore lacunaires. Nous ferons un bilan des données existantes, présenterons les premiers résultats des recherches que nous avons entamées en 2015 et les objectifs du programme que nous entendons poursuivre.

Neolithic mines and quarries from Murs and Malaucène have been known since the beginning of the 20th century, mainly because hundreds of grooved mallets were discovered on these sites. These two mines are extremely important, on the one hand because of the size of the exploited areas (more than 250 ha each) and on the other because of the high quality of the remains which are preserved. Moreover during the Chassean period (4500-3500 BC) the raw material extracted in Murs and Malaucène was distributed all over the northwestern Mediterranean seashore and along the Rhone Valley. However, despite an early discovery, information available about flint extraction methods is still incomplete. We will assess existing data, present the first results of our own work started in 2015 and outline the goals of the programme we aim to pursue. Résumé Les mines et carrières de Murs et Malaucène sont connues depuis le début du XX ème siècle, essentiellement pour les centaines de maillets à gorge découverts sur ces sites. Ces deux sites sont extrêmement importants, d'une part par l'étendue des exploitations reconnues (plus de 250 ha chacune) et d'autre part, par l'ampleur des vestiges qui y sont conservés. De plus, pendant le Chasséen, la matière première exploitée à Murs et Malaucène sera diffusée sur l'ensemble du pourtour de la Méditerranée nord-occidentale et le long de la vallée du Rhône. Toutefois, malgré une identification précoce, les données disponibles sur les modalités d'extraction pratiquées sur ces deux sites sont encore lacunaires. Nous ferons un bilan des données existantes, présenterons les premiers résultats des recherches que nous avons entamées en 2015 et les objectifs du programme que nous entendons poursuivre.

La plaine de Trets, en limite orientale des Bouches-du-Rhône, recèle un grand nombre de sites néolithiques. Dans les années 1870, après un labour, celui de la Bastidonne livra un très abondant mobilier archéologique ainsi que quinze fragments de stèles décorées. L’ensemble des vestiges était mêlé à de possibles restes de crémations mais il règne depuis toujours une grande confusion quant à la position exacte des fragments de stèles au moment de la découverte. D’autres plus petits fragments ont été récoltés par la suite. Bien qu’elles constituent le plus riche regroupement connu dans le Sud-Est de la France, les stèles néolithiques de la Bastidonne n’ont que rarement fait l’objet de descriptions systématiques dans leur contexte. Réalisées dans un calcaire local, elles étaient de forme trapézoïdale ou triangulaire et ne mesuraient pas plus de quelques dizaines de centimètres de haut. Les fragments affichent un décor géométrique gravé et sculpté. La représentation schématique du visage se limite dans la plupart des cas à une plage creuse et lisse, subrectangulaire. En outre, d’importantes traces de pigment rouge ont été décelées dès la fin du XIXe siècle. Celles-ci ne présentent pas d’organisation particulière et l’ensemble de la face décorée de même que les chants devaient être ainsi badigeonnés. Les récentes analyses ont montré qu’il s’agit de cinabre. Le mobilier lithique récolté à la Bastidonne ainsi qu’à Sainte-Catherine – une station située à moins d’un kilomètre et qui a pu appartenir au même ensemble – doit être attribué à une étape récente du Néolithique moyen. Si l’on ajoute à cela les dates radiocarbones d’une nouvelle découverte dans les Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, les stèles de la Bastidonne, comme l’ensemble des quelques cinquante stèles ou fragments de stèles du sous-groupe provençal à chevrons, apparaissent comme l’une des plus anciennes manifestations d’art statuaire anthropomorphe de Méditerranée occidentale, entre 3900 et 3600 av. J.-C. environ.

The Provence Neolithic stelae with chevron ornamentation are well known, with more than fifty monuments currently recorded. The two new stelae from Gargas were discovered during a field survey on the northern border of the Calavon plain, about 45 km east of Avignon. The area has a high concentration of archaeological sites, many excavated in the past: La Brémonde (Buoux), Les Martin (Roussillon), Les Fabrys (Bonnieux) and the Ubac dolmen (Goult).
Stela 1 is complete but deteriorated in places. Its surface is encrusted. It is however possible to identify the stone as a compact, fine limestone. The general shape is triangular, with the sides and top slightly convex. The slightly concave front face indicates that the surface was pick-dressed prior to being decorated. The reserved part at the centre is deteriorated. It is not hollowed as it is usually the case for Provence stelae. This reserved vertical area narrows in its middle then gets wider towards the bottom. Anatomical details such as the eyebrows-nose-eyes block are not visible because of the deterioration of the stela but what is left of the reserved area does not show any relief or hollows. Two vertical bands decorated with parallel oblique lines running outwards are engraved on both sides of this area. The ornamentation on the top part consists of four levels: two smooth horizontal bands, one row of simple horizontal chevrons, two horizontal series of parallel oblique lines, and one row of double horizontal chevrons. The engravings are enhanced with a bright red colour which has been identified as cinnabar.
Stela 2 is not complete: its base is missing. Its whole surface is encrusted. The raw material is a little more grainy than the one used for stela 1. The flat, locally convex, main face does not seem to have been pick-dressed. The ornamentation is engraved and also enhanced with a bright red colour here again identified as cinnabar. It is simpler and less carefully made than on stela 1. It is organized in three areas around the vertical reserved surface, which does not seem to have hollows, sculpted reliefs or colour. No anatomical details (eyebrows-nose-eyes) are represented. The lateral vertical bands are simple, consisting of series of parallel oblique lines running outwards. Two horizontal bands appear on the top part of the stela: a narrow band, whose ornamentation is difficult to see, above which is a series of double chevrons. The overall structure of this artwork is in accordance with that seen on other stelae in Provence, but the central band, with its form and lack of any realist figuration, is a more original feature.
The site of the discovery, on the Calavon plain (North Luberon), is in the northern part of the distribution area of engraved stelae. This confirms that several stelae are associated with the Calavon valley, in the same way as other stelae groups are associated with the Arc or Durance valleys. The two Gargas stelae are part of a group initially called B, then ‘Lower-Durance group’ or ‘chevron-ornamented stelae group or Durance-group’. The ornamentation on these stelae is limited to the representation of a head consisting of the shape of the face, hollowed out, and a series of chevrons carved in relief.  The ornamentation on the Gargas stelae is not in relief but engraved. Following Gagnière and Granier’s definition a third group (stelae with painted ornamentation, or Château Blanc type) was identified, including the stelae from Château Blanc (Ventabren) and those from Goult/Ubac. These were carefully shaped, were not engraved but have traces of red pigment. While the overall structure of the engraved ornamentation of the Gargas stelae is consistent with what was already known, some details are more original: the shape of the face has sides widening towards the bottom and does not include a nose or eyes.
The two stelae from Gargas were unearthed subsequently to ploughing and associated material points to evidence for a context which is probably poorly preserved due to the location of the site and regular agricultural work. This material is a particularly spectacular assemblage as is sometimes found in Vaucluse. It comes from various locations around Beyssan. A first examination shows significant homogeneity. Chipped flint tools dominate the assemblage, with a majority of “blond” flint from the area of Murs. Besides flint, the site has yielded finds in obsidian originating from Monte Arci, Sardinia.
Though generally found outside any archaeological context, Provence stelae with chevron ornamentation are relatively well dated. They have always been dated to the Middle Neolithic, and more exactly to the Late Chasséen. They therefore precede the tradition of large anthropomorphic statuary of the end of the Neolithic period. The Gargas discoveries confirm this; their chrono-cultural context dates to the end of the Middle Neolithic, between 3800 and 3600 BC.
While the Provence stelae can be considered as well dated overall, the nature of their context has not yet been well understood. A link with funerary practices is obvious at Goult and Château Blanc and can be suggested at Bastidonne and maybe at Puyvert.  However, stelae are not directly associated with burials. Moreover, late Neolithic cemeteries which have been extensively excavated have not yielded such monuments. It seems therefore that the Provence stelae are a particular phenomenon, which could be associated with sites of an ‘intermediary’ type, which could have been specific places associated with larger settlements as seems to be the case at Beyssan [translation Guillaume Robin].

Fruit d'une collaboration entre les universités de Bâle et d'Aix-Marseille, la fouille du site des Bagnoles à L'Isle-sur-la-Sorgue (84) a conduit à la découverte d'une série d'occupations marquées par la découverte de plusieurs sépultures à crémation datées de la fin du ve millénaire avant notre ère, localisées au sein d'un possible espace mortuaire probablement dédié aux funérailles et à des cérémonies commémoratives, et de trois puits à eau néolithiques qui, fait exceptionnel, renfermaient encore de nombreux restes organiques conservés en milieu humide.
Replacés dans leur contexte local et régional, ces vestiges ainsi que l'abondant mobilier mis au jour sur le site permettent d'élargir considérablement notre connaissance des communautés d'agriculteurs éleveurs du Néolithique méditerranéen entre le Ve et le IVe millénaire avant notre ère.