Le monument funéraire néolithique de Poses « Sur la Mare » (Eure)

Bell Beaker Burial Customs in North-western France

“…Ring-ditches with central pit: Few Bell Beaker ring-ditches are known in north-western France. However, examples with strikingly similar morphology have been recorded at La Plaine (Poses, Eure; Billard & Penna 1995) and La Folie (Poitiers, Viennes; Tchérémissinoff et al 2011), these being slightly oval ditches enclosing c. 3 m diameter areas with centrally located, oval pit graves (Fig. 12.1).…”

“…For these two periods, few individuals (fewer than a dozen), are found in each monument, implying either regular emptying of the chambers or that only a limited sub-section of the population was interred within a given megalithic monument. The presence of several sets of unburnt remains suggests that these monuments, apparently designed to be re-opened, were Tinevez 1988;Tinevez et al 1990), the Allée sépulcrale at Sur la Mare (Poses, Eure; Billard et al 2006), and the Aire crématoire at Fontenayle-Marmion (Calvados; Caillaud & Lagnel 1972). At Beaumont, in addition to the cremated remains of at least three individuals, several objects with evidence of burning were recovered, suggesting that in situ 'fire rituals' could have taken place, although the use of fire to 'remove' skeletons or deposited materials in order to create space for new burials cannot be ruled out (Billard et al 2006).…”

“…During the Recent and Late Neolithic the practice of cremation is attested at the lateral entrance grave of Beaumont (Saint-Laurent-sur-Oust, Morbihan; Tinevez 1988; Tinevez et al 1990), the Allée sépulcrale at Sur la Mare (Poses, Eure; Billard et al . 2006), and the Aire crématoire at Fontenay-le-Marmion (Calvados; Caillaud & Lagnel 1972). At Beaumont, in addition to the cremated remains of at least three individuals, several objects with evidence of burning were recovered, suggesting that in situ ‘fire rituals’ could have taken place, although the use of fire to ‘remove’ skeletons or deposited materials in order to create space for new burials cannot be ruled out (Billard et al .…”

“…At Beaumont, in addition to the cremated remains of at least three individuals, several objects with evidence of burning were recovered, suggesting that in situ ‘fire rituals’ could have taken place, although the use of fire to ‘remove’ skeletons or deposited materials in order to create space for new burials cannot be ruled out (Billard et al . 2006).…”

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Fig. 12. The two Bell Beaker ring-ditches from north-western France (1. after Tchérémissinoff et al 2011, with permission; 2. after Billard & Penna 1995, with permission)

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