Les sites et les industries lithiques du Paléolithique inférieur, moyen et supérieur de la basse vallée de l'Yonne dans leurs contextes chronostratigraphiques. Bilan de dix ans d'activité archéologique pluridisciplinaire dans le sud-est du Bassin parisien

Abstract

Since 1994, the archaeological survey of the Pleistocene alluvial deposits of the north of the River Yonne valley, in the southeast of the Paris Basin, has allowed the discovery of twelve Palaeolithic settlements (Lower to Upper Palaeolithic), the plotting of the evolution of the Yonne terrace system and the proposal of a chronostratigraphical hypothesis. The settlements found in the six last alluvial terraces (Soucy 1 to 6, Etigny Le Brassot PLM, Le Fond des Blanchards and Le Chemin de l'Évangile 3 at Gron, Le Brassot at Étigny) have yielded many lithic industries andfaunal assemblages preserved in fine fluviatile sequences (sands and silts). The first studies and analyses of these settlements have provided much new information about modes of occupation in the palaeovalleys (Soucy), lithic production systems (Le Fond des Blanchards and Le Chemin de l'Évangile 3 at Gron) and the variability of the lithic industries (Soucy), and strategic behaviour in acquiring and exploiting animal resources (Soucy and Le Fond des Blanchards at Gron).

Tools, space and behaviour in the Lower Palaeolithic: discoveries at Soucy in the Paris basin

“…The same criteria associated with impact and cut marks testify, on the contrary, not only to human intervention, but also to a major human role in the accumulation of these faunal remains. It can be certified that, from the ages of a certain number of individuals of different species, the site was settled throughout the year and probably during several years (Bemilli 2004;Lhomme et al 2004). It can also be pointed out that about 40 shed antlers from Cervidae (red and fallow deer) were found (Figure 7).…”

“…The scale of the different geological and palaeontological work carried out on the Soucy gravel pit (Chaussé et al 2000;Lhomme et al 2000a;Chaussé 2003;Lhomme et al 2004) allows a modelling of part of the palaeo-valley where the Palaeolithic layers were found. It is therefore possible to place each settlement within its topographical and biological environment.…”

“…At least two meandering channels and one braided channel have been identified in the upper fine sediment. They describe the migration, from west to east, of an earlier course of the river Yonne (Chaussé et al 2000;Chaussé 2003;Lhomme et al 2004). The most ancient channel (channel A), about 120m wide, was located to the west ( Figure 2).…”

“…Traces of oxidisation were found on the faunal remains and the flint artefacts were abraded. The comparison of the geomorphological and topographical data indicate that this sector constituted a contemporary riverbank during the prehistoric occupation (Chaussé 2003;Lhomme et al 2004). .…”

Complexité des stratigraphies régionales et nouveau modèle d’apparition et de diffusion du phénomène acheuléen en Europe de l'Ouest

“…Les gisements sont souvent bien conservés dans les terrasses alluviales des grands cours d'eau, tant en France que dans le sud de l'Angleterre. Les systèmes d'étagement des terrasses sont bien décrits et la position stratigraphique est parfois claire dans ce contexte, comme par exemple à La Celle (Limondin-Lozouet et al, 2010) ou Soucy (Lhomme et al, 2004). Si les synthèses sont souvent limpides, les chercheurs font largement part des difficultés rencontrées pour reconnaître les interglaciaires et les interstadiaires du Pléis-tocène moyen ou pour distinguer deux interglaciaires (notamment le SIM 11 et le SIM 9 ; Preece & Parfitt, 2000).…”