Archaeology, Society and Environment

ASE - ISSN 2752-4507 - © ISTE Ltd

Journal issues

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Recent articles

Identification of a sheepfold in the Gallo-Roman villa of the former Évry racecourse (Ris-Orangis, Essonne): the decisive contribution of lipid markers

The excavation of an antiq villa in Ris-Orangis (Essonne, France) makes it possible to carry out the different methods of reading (zootechnical, phosphorus mapping and analysis of fecal lipid biomarkers) leading to the interpretation of a building as a sheepfold.

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The Castle of Haut-Clairvaux (Vienne): A Watchdog with its own Kennel?

During the excavation work carried out at Château du Haut-Clairvaux (Vienne) in 2018 and 2019, a previously unseen 12th-century building was excavated to the north of the courtyard. Buried following a fire and the installation of new buildings at the end of the 12th century, the building preserves several structures and pits, including one filled with fifteen perfectly preserved dog skeletons. According to archaeozoological analysis, these were probably individuals belonging to a pack of hunting dogs buried on site. In addition, several clues suggest that this building may have been used as a kennel, a sort of lodge within a lodge.

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Pollen and fungal spores as animal indicators in archaeology: some examples of animal houses in the Île-de-France region (France)

When excavating areas that could be interpreted as animal homes, bio- and geoarchaeological approaches are increasingly used to support interpretation based on built structures. Palynological analysis is not necessarily the most common, as the good state of preservation of pollen grains requires conditions that are generally found in the wet and organic infilled of hollow structures. However, pollen grains, like other non-pollen microfossils such as the spores of saprophytic and/or coprophilous fungi, can be good direct or indirect indicators of the presence of animals. In recent years, several preventive archaeology projects in the Paris region have provided an opportunity to test palynological analyses on structures of various kinds, such as the floors of sheepfolds, cowsheds and hen houses. The results we obtained showed very positive contributions when the conservation conditions were suitable, namely undisturbed organic sedimentary layers that were quickly sealed after abandonment.

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On the old Sloping Garden at the Château-Neuf of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, sycamore maples draw a basin

A hydraulic system, built above the sixth terrace of the royal domain at the Château-Neuf of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, were highlighted among a grove of trees painted in the middle of the 17th century. The hypothesis is that the old Sloping Garden of this terrace planted with fruit trees, as described in archives, was likely to display some springs useful for their watering. This research supports the fact that at least one basin is being spotted both on oil on canvas and a notarized drawing. Over the centuries, decreasing water intake as well as low gardens’ maintenance on the north side, as noted for the springs of the fifth terrace, tree species growing there become wilder. It is likely that the proximity of the forest within the limit of the large Terrace of André Le Nôtre brought samaras, winged seeds of sycamore maples which then grew in a favourable biotope for them: namely on the slope of Le Pecq hill, in the park located in a private co-ownership. Currently, these trees turn out to be vegetal clues to attest this historic terrace. In that respect, a recent satellite view suggests the existence of a buried underground basin, in the area where young sycamore maples grew close together into a rounded shape as if they were to delineate this basin forming a barrier for their vigorous roots. Other nearby remains are being identified and may be connected to a possible formerly existing spring above this basin.

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Tales of catastrophe: the authenticity of Mediterranean palaeo-disasters in films

This article explores the enduring allure of ruins from ancient civilizations and the depiction of catastrophic events in cinema, focusing on the portrayal of natural disasters in antiquity and prehistoric times. A reflection from an archaeological and environmental point of view is based on literary and scientific sources of natural events that inspire the film synopses. Using films from the Peplum genre’s “Golden Age” in the mid-20th century, we analyze how cinema reimagines historical calamities, ranging from the destruction of the Colossus of Rhodes to the demise of Pompeii. While some palaeo-disasters in these films are scientifically plausible, such as the Vesuvius eruption in Pompeii, others, like the Black Sea deluge hypothesis in Noah and The Ten Commandments’ multi-disaster scenario, persist as enduring myths. The article also addresses debated hypotheses, including the meteoritic impact in Sodom and Gomorrah and the speculative cataclysm in 10,000 BC, emphasizing their reliance on myths and pseudo-archaeological theories. This exploration contributes to understanding the complex interplay between cinematic imagination, historical events, natural disasters and enduring cultural myths.

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Forests in the county of Nantes in the 15th century: state of the art and perspectives

Forests in the county of Nantes during the 15th century have long considered as badly handled and maintained. Seigniorial accounts lead to ask some new questions. This paper aims to sum up issues and current researches in order to take another look at this question. Tensions are increasing in the end of the Middle Ages, with several crises on territories and societies linked with the destructions of war and depredations. By studying seigniorial accounts historians could enlighten very contrasting situations depending on the main trade roads. In this special case, livestock farming is developed and put pressure on forest territories with glandees and panages. Other topics such as hunting and enclosed parks are unevenly informed by seigniorial accounts. There is a lack of field investigations to study more precisely these themes.

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The Passion-Clipperton
Anthropogenic traces on an uninhabited French atoll in the Pacific Ocean

Passion Island-Clipperton is currently free of continuous and regular human settlement, but supports a large colony of birds, crabs, rats and plant species. However, from the remnants of past human occupation to the plastic waste brought in daily by the sea, it is subject to human interaction. Following an international scientific mission, we focussed on the nature of the anthropic remains, i.e. their history, dispersion, dynamics and effects on the environment. Overall, this study addresses the history, uses, activities on and around the atoll, as well as leisure activities, human appropriation and territorial claims. The processing of this data has considerable heuristic value for the human and social sciences. The problem of waste is considered not only as a reverse side of production, but also as a research object combining historical, geographical, economic, geopolitical, landscape, environmental, ecological and symbolic dimensions. In this way, the study provides an opportunity to consider and debate the effects of the current economic and environmental crises.