DUPONT C., MARCHAND G., 2020 - New Paradigms in the Exploitation of Mesolithic Shell Middens in Atlantic France: the example of Beg-er-Vil, Brittany. Quaternary International

Seasonal availability of exploited resources and their biotopes at Beg-er-Vil (in dark blue: the period when the resource is most accessible, in light blue: when the resource is commonly accessible; in white: when the resource is not accessible updated after Dupont et al., 2009, CAD C. Dupont CNRS)

Abstract

The Atlantic coast of north-west France is one of the classic shell-midden regions of the European Mesolithic, made famous by the excavations of Téviec and Hoedic in the first half of the 20^th century. At this time, there was a lack of interest in the food refuse component of shell middensBy the end of the 1990’s new study methods and techniques had also contributed to a better description of the varied activities of these coastal populations. In Atlantic France, new excavations have demonstrated that shell middens are not a site type but rather one of a variety of stratigraphic units that make up the total settlement pattern. Our perception of the Mesolithic hunter-gatherers of the French Atlantic coast has now changed from a population pre-occupied with day-to-day survival and forced to eat shellfish out of necessity, to fisher-hunter-gatherers involved in varied activities. Their knowledge of marine biotopes is revealed by the diversity of marine animals dedicated to food, but also by other raw materials collected in high tide marks, including flint or shells devoid of flesh. The last ones give us an access to the symbolic sphere. These future personal ornaments were clearly and carefully selected on the beach for this purpose independently of alive ones.

 

Keywords: Mesolithic, maritime fisher-hunter-gatherers, shell middens, dwelling structures, human burials

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