Archaeology Hotspot France: Unearthing the Past for Armchair Archaeologists

218 Pages·2018·1.84 MB·English

by  Georgina Muskett

A R C H A E O L O G Y
H O T S P O T
F R A N C E
Archaeology Hotspots:
Unearthing the Past for Armchair Archaeologists
Series Editor: Paul G. Bahn, independent archaeologist and author of The
Archaeology of Hollywood
Archaeology Hotspots are countries and regions with particularly deep
pasts, stretching from the depths of prehistory to more recent layers of re-
corded history. Written by archaeological experts for everyday readers, the
books in the series offer engaging explorations of one particular country or
region as seen through an archaeological lens. Each individual title provides
a chronological overview of the area in question, covers the most interest-
ing and significant archaeological finds in that area, and profiles the major
personalities involved in those discoveries, both past and present. The
authors cover controversies and scandals, current digs and recent insights,
contextualizing the material remains of the past within a broad view of the
area’s present existence. The result is an illuminating look at the history,
culture, national heritage, and current events of specific countries and re-
gions—specific hotspots of archaeology.
Archaeology Hotspot Egypt: Unearthing the Past for Armchair Archaeolo-
gists, by Julian Heath (2015)
Archaeology Hotspot Great Britain: Unearthing the Past for Armchair Ar-
chaeologists, by Donald Henson (2015)
A R C H A E O L O G Y
H O T S P O T
F R A N C E
Unearthing the Past
for Armchair Archaeologists
Georgina Muskett
ROWMAN & LITTLEFIELD
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Muskett, G. M. (Georgina M.), author.
Title: Archaeology hotspot France : unearthing the past for armchair archaeologists /
Georgina Muskett.
Description: Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, 2018. | Series: Archaeology
hotspots | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017051842 (print) | LCCN 2017052316 (ebook) | ISBN
9781442269231 (Electronic) | ISBN 9781442269224 (cloth : alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: France—Antiquities. | Excavations (Archaeology) —France. |
Historic sites—France. | Archaeology—France.
Classification: LCC DC31 (ebook) | LCC DC31 .M95 2018 (print) | DDC 936.4—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2017051842
™ The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of
American National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper
for Printed Library Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
Printed in the United States of America
CONTENTS
Acknowledgments vii
List of Illustrations ix
Dates for Archaeological Periods in France xiii
Preface xv
1 The Development of Archaeology in France 1
2 Caves to Lake Villages: The Archaeology of Prehistoric France 25
3 From Colonization to Kingship: Iron Age, Gallo-Roman, and Early
Medieval France 63
4 French Archaeology and Archaeologists 105
5 Debates, Controversies, and Scandals 125
6 Archaeological Research in France in the Twenty-First Century 151
Select Bibliography 175
Glossary 181
Index 185
About the Author 201
v

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I
should like to thank my editor, Paul Bahn, for his help, advice, and en-
couragement throughout. I would also like to thank the staff at Rowman
& Littlefield for their support and practical assistance with this book. My
greatest thanks are due to Richard Dunsford, who commented on the text
and by whose thoughtful advice it has benefited greatly.
vii

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Figure 0.1 Map of France, showing the administrative areas
known as departéments xvi
Figure 1.1 Tomb known as La Table des Marchands,
Locmariaquer 4
Figure 1.2 Tomb known as Les Pierres-Plates, Locmariquer 5
Figure 1.3 Kermario alignment, Carnac 6
Figure 1.4 Reindeer antler, engraved with a horse’s head,
found at Neschers 9
Figure 1.5 Engraving of a feline from Les Combarelles cave 11
Figure 1.6 Statue of Vercingetorix on Mont-Auxois 14
Figure 1.7 Musée d’Archéologie nationale-Domaine national at
Saint-Germain-en-Laye 15
Figure 1.8 Reconstruction of fortifications at the MuséoParc
Alésia 19
Figure 2.1 Skull of “Tautavel Man” 27
Figure 2.2 The “Falling Horse,” La Grotte de Lascaux 34
Figure 2.3 Entrance to La Grotte du Mas d’Azil 39
Figure 2.4 Clay relief showing two bison from Le Tuc
d’Audoubert 43
Figure 2.5 “La Dame de Brassempouy” 45
Figure 2.6 Le Grand Menhir Brisé, Locmariquer 48
Figure 2.7 Engravings of axes, Gavrinis 51
ix