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<< Our Photo Pages >> Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel - Ancient Village or Settlement in France in Picardie:Somme (80)

Submitted by Andy B on Tuesday, 20 December 2011  Page Views: 7377

Neolithic and Bronze AgeSite Name: Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel
Country: France Département: Picardie:Somme (80) Type: Ancient Village or Settlement
Nearest Town: Péronne  Nearest Village: Villers-Carbonnel
Latitude: 49.881900N  Longitude: 2.920730E
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
1 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
no data Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
no data Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
2

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Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel
Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel submitted by Andy B : Three views of the statuette Image copyright: Dominique Bossut/Inrap Site in Picardie:Somme (80) France (Vote or comment on this photo)
On the future site of the Seine-North Europe canal, a team of INRAP archaeologists have been excavating the Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel. This excavation, covering a surface of 4.35 hectares, has revealed an exceptional terra cotta statuette 21 cm long. Female representations of this type are very rare in France.

On the left bank of the Somme river, the archaeologists have uncovered vast fortification walls attributed to the Chassean culture (approximately 4300-3600 BC). The oldest one is delimited by a trench and a palisade enclosing a space of approximately 6 hectares. This wall is succeeded by another much longer one, also with a palisade, but with segments of trenches bordering its exterior. The enclosed surface covers more than 15 hectares, which is well above the 6 to 10 hectares usually encountered. It protected residences and numerous other structures, including buildings, trenches, postholes and kilns.

The archaeologists discovered the fragments of a statuette in a kiln whose clay roof had collapsed. They were able to refit the fragments to reconstruct the whole statuette which measures 21cm long. The wide, accentuated hips and the exaggerated buttocks create an imbalance between the thinner lower part of the body and the waist. The arms are suggested by two protuberances at the shoulders, but are not fully formed. The genitals are not represented, but the breasts are formed by the addition of small, slightly stretched clay balls. The head, which is composed of a simple cone, is very stylised and has no face.

It is a highly abstract representation of the female body, as we see in the wide hips and breast. The statuette of Villers-Carbonnel, like those discovered previously, is stylised and characterises a period during which there is a dissolution of figuration.

This discovery is exceptional both because of the integrity of the statuette and the rarity of such female representations in Middle Neolithic contexts (sites of Noyen-sur-Seine in Seine-et-Marne, Maisy in Aisne, Jonquière and Catenoy in Oise and Bercy in Paris). This type of statuette is not unique to the Chassean culture since they have been found in other cultures as well. The stylistic unity of these female representations, despite multiple differences between them, suggests a common ideological foundation with a Mediterranean origin.

Archaeologists have often interpreted these statuettes as symbolic representations of fertility that could have associated with ritual activities. From the Near East to the borders of Western Europe, much archaeological literature has been devoted to “mother goddess” cults, a concept that is now increasingly contested.

Between Compiègne and Aubencheul-au-Bac, the construction of the Seine-Nord-Europe canal will enable the circulation of barges from the Seine to Escaut. The canal is 106 km long and will traverse 66 communes in the Picardie (Oise and Somme departments) and Nord-Pas-de-Calais (Pas-de-Calais and Nord departments) regions. Over a surface of 2500 hectares, the canal will be 54 m wide. Since September 2009, 320 sites have been identified on the 1700 hectares tested for archaeological remains. The excavations, which began in March 2010, have revealed 77 archaeological sites. Currently, 31 excavations have been conducted or are in progress over a surface of 81 hectares. Approximately 100 excavations are planned before the earthwork phase of the project will begin. This work by INRAP is scheduled to be completed at the end of 2013.

The archaeological excavations carried out by the INRAP teams along the future Seine-Nord Europe canal have revealed sites extending from the Middle Palaeolithic to the Middle Ages, with variable occupation densities depending on the territories and periods. In addition to a few vague traces, the Neolithic is very well represented by the imposing fortification walls of Villers-Carbonnel, the three houses of Sauchy-Lestrée and the Early Neolithic settlement of Languevoisin-Quiquery.

Source: press release from INRAP, with thanks to Past Horizons for the translation.

View a multimedia presentation (in French) about the archaeology of the Seine-Nord-Europe canal project.
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Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel
Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel submitted by Andy B : Set of four bifaces found in Acheulean level, dating back at least 300,000 years. Found at Etricourt Manancourt in the Picardie region of France. Image copyright David Hedgehog / INRAP (Vote or comment on this photo)

Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel
Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel submitted by Andy B : Map of the distribution of female statuettes in northern France in the Chassean-Michelsberg horizon. Image copyright: Françoise Bostyn/Inrap Site in Picardie:Somme (80) France (Vote or comment on this photo)

Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel
Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel submitted by Andy B : Aerial view of the excavation of the site of Villers-Carbonnel Image copyright: V. Thellier, aérophotostudio Site in Picardie:Somme (80) France (Vote or comment on this photo)

Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel
Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel submitted by Andy B : The kiln in which the statuette was found in the process of excavation Image copyright: A. Amposta/Inrap Site in Picardie:Somme (80) France (Vote or comment on this photo)

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"Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel" | Login/Create an Account | 3 News and Comments
  
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300 000 year old flint tools found in Northern France by Andy B on Wednesday, 25 July 2012
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The deposits at Etricourt Manancourt in the Picardie region of France document the history of early European settlements, revealing at least five prehistoric levels, ranging between 300,000 and 80,000 years old.

This discovery resulted from the archaeological work carried out prior to construction of a large canal. Archaeologists from Inrap looked at 17 hectares in 2010, which revealed a Palaeolithic level and more evidence was found in 2012, when 3,200 square metres were excavated over 4 month period.

The most recent occupation comes from the Middle Paleolithic (80,000 years old) and belongs to the Neanderthals. Twenty sites of this period are already known in northern France.

The next two levels are also Neanderthal and belong to the early phase of the Middle Paleolithic during an interglacial period – the Saalian – between 190,000 and 240,000 years old. The discoveries of sites from this period are rare and, in the north of France, only excavations in 1999 (around Beauvais) and Biache St. Vaast in 1976 (Pas-de-Calais) have produced such well preserved contemporary deposits.

Finally, the oldest level is exceptional. Dated to at least 300 000 years, it belongs to the Palaeolithic, Acheulian culture. The flint tools found at this level were shaped either by the last Homo heidelbergensis or by early Neanderthals.

More details, with photos at Past Horizons
http://www.pasthorizonspr.com/index.php/archives/07/2012/300-000-year-old-flint-tools-found-in-northern-france

[Note that the find spot is not that near the sites on this page as the canal project is pretty big, however this seemed the best place to put this news - MegP Ed]

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Re: Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel by Tuatha on Wednesday, 21 December 2011
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GHOSTLY,
The general view is that the narrowed necks were intended to be inserted into heads/faces of current person.
The Villendorf Venus however precludes that because the head is quite clearly shown wearing either a hair net or braided hair.
Tuatha
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Re: Neolithic sites of Villers-Carbonnel by ghostlly on Wednesday, 21 December 2011
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I wonder why they did not show a face or head?
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