Papers by Jean-Baptiste PEYROUSE
Bulletin de la Société Herpétologique de France, 2020
A scolecophidian (Serpentes) from the early Miocene of Saint-Gérand-le-Puy (Allier, France). Six ... more A scolecophidian (Serpentes) from the early Miocene of Saint-Gérand-le-Puy (Allier, France). Six vertebrae of a scolecophidian were found in the top of Mont Merle, a limestone hill near the town of Saint-Gérand-le-Puy. They were dated from the MN1-2a zone. It’s the first report of a blind snake in the Agenian level in Europe.
Quaternaire, 2019
THE PREHISTORIC SITE OF LA ROCHE-COTARD IV (INDRE-ET-LOIRE, FRANCE): A MIDDLE AND UPPER PLEISTOCE... more THE PREHISTORIC SITE OF LA ROCHE-COTARD IV (INDRE-ET-LOIRE, FRANCE): A MIDDLE AND UPPER PLEISTOCENE SEQUENCE, REFERENCE FOR THE VAL-DE-LOIRE IN TOURAINE
The prehistoric site of La Roche-Cotard (LRC) is located on the right bank slope of the Loire Valley, a little upstream of Langeais in Indre-et-Loire. The site was made accessible by extensive material collection in 1846. The main cave, LRC I, was excavated in 1912: it contained a middle Paleolithic industry and digital traces were discovered in 1975 and validated in 2008. The resumption of excavations on the site since 2008 has highlighted a powerful 11 meter section with 22 distinct layers, the lower part of which fills a shelter : locus LRC IV, very close to LRC I. The stratigraphy combines from the bottom to the top, karstic inputs, fluvial and eolian sands from the Loire valley and slope deposits. Indices of anthropic occupation (lithic industry, burned bones) attest to the occupation of this space. Numerous radiocarbon and OSL ages make it possible to chronologically constrains this filling between the limit of the isotopic stages 7 and 6 (layer 22-169 ka) and the end of stage 3 (layer 2-25 ka). The locus has given rise to a multidisciplinary study as complete as possible (sedimentology and micromorphology, small and large vertebrate faunas, lithic industry...). These data provide new information on the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the region, which is poorly known in this time range. The geometry and the age of the deposits lead to the hypothesis that the main cave LRC I was impenetrable by Homo sapiens at least starting from the beginning of the isotopic stage 3 (60 ka) and thus that the parietal productions with symbolic character of the cave are most likely to be attributed to Neanderthal man.
Quaternaire, 2018
La grotte de Buraca Escura a été occupée durant les Paléolithique moyen et supérieur. Les occupat... more La grotte de Buraca Escura a été occupée durant les Paléolithique moyen et supérieur. Les occupations humaines étaient saisonnières (printemps, été) et de courtes durées. Elles sont associées à de nombreux oiseaux (corvidés dominants), différents carnivores (Lynx, Canis, Crocuta dominants) et à une riche accumulation d’herbivores, en particulier de bouquetin. L’objectif consiste à faire une étude comparative entre les principales phases chronoculturelles montrant les différences et/ou les similarités dans la présence et le degré d’exploitation des ongulés et l’utilisation de la cavité par de multiples agents.
Proceed. 8th Internat. Meeting Society of Avian Paleontology and Evolution, Dec 2013
"Miocoracias chenevali, nov. gen., nov. spec., a new genus and species of roller (Aves: Coraciifo... more "Miocoracias chenevali, nov. gen., nov. spec., a new genus and species of roller (Aves: Coraciiformes s. s.: Coraciidae) is described from the Early Miocene of Saint-Gérand-le-Puy. This family had not yet been reported from the rich fossil avifauna of this area. Although the material is fragmentary it shows morphological characteristics different from those of the extinct family Geranopteridae, and can be attributed to the Recent family Coraciidae. The rodents found in the same locality make it possible to attribute it to the MN2a zone. An appendix gives an updated list of the fossil birds identified in the Saint-Gérand-le-Puy area."
Le Paléolithique supérieur ancien de l'Europe du Nord-Ouest. Réflexions et synthèses à partir d'un projet collectif de recherche sur le Paléolithique supérieur ancien du Bassin parisien, Séance de la Société préhistorique française, Musée de Sens (Yonne)-CEREP, 15-18 avril 2009, p. 299-316, 2013
Revue archéologique du Centre de la France, t. 50, p. 109-174.
Bulletin de la Société d’Histoire Naturelle d’Autun, n°199, 2010
The layers ascribed to the early Würm of la Roche-Cotard III have furnished many remains of the f... more The layers ascribed to the early Würm of la Roche-Cotard III have furnished many remains of the following amphibians and reptile species : Rana temporaria (Ranidae), Bufo calamita (Bufonidae), Pelobates fuscus (Pelobatidae), Pelodytes punctatus (Pelodytidae) and Vipera cf. V. « berus complex» (Viperidae). The important quantity of anura bones could be explained more by death during wintering than by predation. This herpetofauna suggests a varied environment (open and woody) under temperate and wet climate.
Revue Archéologique du Centre de la France, supplément 47, 2013
La découverte d'une plaquette de grès gravée d'un décor schématique sur le site solutréen de plei... more La découverte d'une plaquette de grès gravée d'un décor schématique sur le site solutréen de plein air des Maîtreaux (Bossay-sur-Claise, Indre-et-Loire) est un fait exceptionnel, car les témoignages d'art paléolithique solutréens sont inexistants dans la vallée de la Creuse et de la Claise, où d'autres sites de plein air et sous abri de la même période sont connus (abris de Monthaud, abri des Roches d'Abilly, abri Fritsch et site de plein air de Fressignes). La plaquette, dans une roche allochtone choisie pour ses qualités propices à la gravure, porte sur le recto un ou plusieurs animaux indéterminés, témoin d'un art opportuniste d'un groupe de tailleurs de silex.
Revue Archéologique du Centre de la France, supplément 47, 2013
Notre tentative de reconstitution des percuteurs utilisés pour la taille du silex par les Solutré... more Notre tentative de reconstitution des percuteurs utilisés pour la taille du silex par les Solutréens et en particulier pour le façonnage de pièces bifaciales a comme origine l'étude du site des Maîtreaux. Le protocole et l'interprétation des données expérimentales obtenues à partir des vestiges lithiques issus de ce site se heurtent à la rareté des indices archéologiques. Lors de l'étude des restes fauniques d'une partie de la collection Veillerot, rassemblée en 1895 et 1896 et négligée par différents acquéreurs du fait de sa pauvreté en feuilles de laurier, nous avons isolé cinq pièces en bois de cervidé (et un sixième exemplaire probable malgré son état fragmentaire). D'après la découverte de Bordes en 1974 et la définition de la fiche typologique proposée par Averbouh et Bodu, ces objets peuvent être classés comme des percuteurs, éventuellement utilisés par / prévus pour des droitiers. La provenance stratigraphique précise de ces pièces n'est pas connue. Cependant, leur comparaison avec des percuteurs expérimentaux utilisés pour le façonnage de feuilles de laurier nous fait penser que ces pièces archéologiques portent des stigmates compatibles avec cette opération. Leur origine pourrait donc être les riches niveaux archéologiques solutréens du gisement. La présence d'un exemplaire façonné et non utilisé, la ressemblance entre la pièce fragmentaire et une " matrice outil " du site solutréen du Roc de Sers constituent des indices d'un fractionnement de la chaîne opératoire en plusieurs temps, semblable à celui d'autres outils osseux : prévision, mise en forme/façonnage, utilisation/réutilisation, abandon. Les deux premières, n'impliquant aucun endommagement de la surface de percussion, s'avèrent comme les plus difficiles à discerner : elles dépendent de notre faculté à percevoir l'éventail des utilisations potentielles d'objets qui ne portent pas encore le moindre stigmate de leur fonction. Le nombre croissant des découvertes de percuteurs en bois de cervidés nous laisse penser qu'il en existe encore beaucoup d'autres mêlés aux restes de faune.
Revue Archéologique du Centre de la France, supplément 47, 2013
Solutréen, feuille de laurier, pointe à cran, transport de matière première.
Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle d'Autun, Mar 2012
Du matériel au spirituel. Réalités archéologiques et historiques des « dépôts » de la Préhistoire à nos jours. Actes des XXIXe rencontres d'archéologie et d'histoire d'Antibes., 2009
"Les grandes feuilles de laurier découvertes en 1874 à Volgu présentent toutes le stade extrême d... more "Les grandes feuilles de laurier découvertes en 1874 à Volgu présentent toutes le stade extrême d’amincissement bifacial qu’il est possible d’obtenir par percussion. Trouver un groupe d’objets appartenant au même stade de la production du même outil est un fait rarement observé pour le Paléolithique. Nous analysons les données qu’elles nous fournissent concernant le silex utilisé, leur(s) auteur(s), leur variabilité replacée au sein de celle de l’ensemble des grandes feuilles de laurier solutréennes, avant d’aborder la question de l’intention de leur regroupement dans un même dépôt.
The large Laurel leaves recovered from the Volgu cache in 1874 display evidence of having reached the final state of extreme bifacial thinning that can be achieved by percussion.
In Palaeolithic contexts, finding a group of artefacts with an identical stage of manufacture is a rare event. The data is analysed in terms of the origin of the flint, the number of knappers, the morpho-technical variability of the pieces compared with that of other large Solutrean laurel leaves before discussing the issue related to the intentional grouping of the pieces in the same cache."
Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire naturelle d'Autun, Oct 2007
Dès les premiers temps de la recherche préhistorique, la production de faux objets archéologiques... more Dès les premiers temps de la recherche préhistorique, la production de faux objets archéologiques se développa çà et là, en réponse à la demande de collectionneurs. Une série de pointes taillées à l’aube du XXe siècle vient d’être identifiée au sein de la collection Jost. Elles nous révèlent les techniques employées par les faussaires de l’époque, et nous rappellent les dangers que représente le commerce de pièces « archéologiques » pour la recherche préhistorique.
From the beginning of prehistoric research, the production of false archaeological objects developed in response to the collectors’ demand. A serie of points cut at the beginning of the XXth century has just been identified in the Jost’s collection. They reveal the techniques employed by the forgers from this era, and remind us the dangers which the trade of “archaeological” pieces constitute to the prehistoric research.
Bulletin de la Société d'Histoire Naturelle d'Autun, Oct 2007
Space and time: …, Jan 1, 2008
While technological and typological studies should concur, on the scope of the chaine operatoire ... more While technological and typological studies should concur, on the scope of the chaine operatoire concept, for a complementary definition of lithic transformation and use systems, often we see the two approaches in clear opposition, due to the cultural value generally attributed to the technical options. In this paper, after an evaluation of the limits of this techno-typo economical approach, we try to apply it to the study of two Solutrean sites located near two different raw material sources. The analysis evidences the introduction to both sites of flint from other regions. There are, furthermore, noticeable differences on the procedures applied on projectile production, as well as on the absence of some stages of the transformation and use of different flint types. The comparison between the two sites and other contemporaneous assemblages lead us to evaluate the problems of coherence of archaeological samples and their chronological meaning. A set of hypotheses is advanced for the explanation of some the presences and absences, as well as some research avenues for their testing.
Paléo. Revue d'archéologie …, 2003
Paléo. Revue d'archéologie …, Jan 1, 2003
Volgu laurel leaf points: an enigma partially resolved?
The study of Volgu Laurel leaf points ha... more Volgu laurel leaf points: an enigma partially resolved?
The study of Volgu Laurel leaf points has revealed the use of distinct sedimentary siliceous microfacies, all formed in marine chalk formations. Comparison with geological samples collected in a large geographical area permits to establish that the potential sources are distant of more than 150 km from Volgu. This data and the comparison with the exploitation of other upper Cretaceous sources permit to initiate a discussion about circulation modalities for this kind of Solutrean tool.
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Papers by Jean-Baptiste PEYROUSE
The prehistoric site of La Roche-Cotard (LRC) is located on the right bank slope of the Loire Valley, a little upstream of Langeais in Indre-et-Loire. The site was made accessible by extensive material collection in 1846. The main cave, LRC I, was excavated in 1912: it contained a middle Paleolithic industry and digital traces were discovered in 1975 and validated in 2008. The resumption of excavations on the site since 2008 has highlighted a powerful 11 meter section with 22 distinct layers, the lower part of which fills a shelter : locus LRC IV, very close to LRC I. The stratigraphy combines from the bottom to the top, karstic inputs, fluvial and eolian sands from the Loire valley and slope deposits. Indices of anthropic occupation (lithic industry, burned bones) attest to the occupation of this space. Numerous radiocarbon and OSL ages make it possible to chronologically constrains this filling between the limit of the isotopic stages 7 and 6 (layer 22-169 ka) and the end of stage 3 (layer 2-25 ka). The locus has given rise to a multidisciplinary study as complete as possible (sedimentology and micromorphology, small and large vertebrate faunas, lithic industry...). These data provide new information on the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the region, which is poorly known in this time range. The geometry and the age of the deposits lead to the hypothesis that the main cave LRC I was impenetrable by Homo sapiens at least starting from the beginning of the isotopic stage 3 (60 ka) and thus that the parietal productions with symbolic character of the cave are most likely to be attributed to Neanderthal man.
The large Laurel leaves recovered from the Volgu cache in 1874 display evidence of having reached the final state of extreme bifacial thinning that can be achieved by percussion.
In Palaeolithic contexts, finding a group of artefacts with an identical stage of manufacture is a rare event. The data is analysed in terms of the origin of the flint, the number of knappers, the morpho-technical variability of the pieces compared with that of other large Solutrean laurel leaves before discussing the issue related to the intentional grouping of the pieces in the same cache."
From the beginning of prehistoric research, the production of false archaeological objects developed in response to the collectors’ demand. A serie of points cut at the beginning of the XXth century has just been identified in the Jost’s collection. They reveal the techniques employed by the forgers from this era, and remind us the dangers which the trade of “archaeological” pieces constitute to the prehistoric research.
The study of Volgu Laurel leaf points has revealed the use of distinct sedimentary siliceous microfacies, all formed in marine chalk formations. Comparison with geological samples collected in a large geographical area permits to establish that the potential sources are distant of more than 150 km from Volgu. This data and the comparison with the exploitation of other upper Cretaceous sources permit to initiate a discussion about circulation modalities for this kind of Solutrean tool.
The prehistoric site of La Roche-Cotard (LRC) is located on the right bank slope of the Loire Valley, a little upstream of Langeais in Indre-et-Loire. The site was made accessible by extensive material collection in 1846. The main cave, LRC I, was excavated in 1912: it contained a middle Paleolithic industry and digital traces were discovered in 1975 and validated in 2008. The resumption of excavations on the site since 2008 has highlighted a powerful 11 meter section with 22 distinct layers, the lower part of which fills a shelter : locus LRC IV, very close to LRC I. The stratigraphy combines from the bottom to the top, karstic inputs, fluvial and eolian sands from the Loire valley and slope deposits. Indices of anthropic occupation (lithic industry, burned bones) attest to the occupation of this space. Numerous radiocarbon and OSL ages make it possible to chronologically constrains this filling between the limit of the isotopic stages 7 and 6 (layer 22-169 ka) and the end of stage 3 (layer 2-25 ka). The locus has given rise to a multidisciplinary study as complete as possible (sedimentology and micromorphology, small and large vertebrate faunas, lithic industry...). These data provide new information on the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the region, which is poorly known in this time range. The geometry and the age of the deposits lead to the hypothesis that the main cave LRC I was impenetrable by Homo sapiens at least starting from the beginning of the isotopic stage 3 (60 ka) and thus that the parietal productions with symbolic character of the cave are most likely to be attributed to Neanderthal man.
The large Laurel leaves recovered from the Volgu cache in 1874 display evidence of having reached the final state of extreme bifacial thinning that can be achieved by percussion.
In Palaeolithic contexts, finding a group of artefacts with an identical stage of manufacture is a rare event. The data is analysed in terms of the origin of the flint, the number of knappers, the morpho-technical variability of the pieces compared with that of other large Solutrean laurel leaves before discussing the issue related to the intentional grouping of the pieces in the same cache."
From the beginning of prehistoric research, the production of false archaeological objects developed in response to the collectors’ demand. A serie of points cut at the beginning of the XXth century has just been identified in the Jost’s collection. They reveal the techniques employed by the forgers from this era, and remind us the dangers which the trade of “archaeological” pieces constitute to the prehistoric research.
The study of Volgu Laurel leaf points has revealed the use of distinct sedimentary siliceous microfacies, all formed in marine chalk formations. Comparison with geological samples collected in a large geographical area permits to establish that the potential sources are distant of more than 150 km from Volgu. This data and the comparison with the exploitation of other upper Cretaceous sources permit to initiate a discussion about circulation modalities for this kind of Solutrean tool.
The multidisciplinary study of the site produced an image of consecutive, seemly short, stays of relatively small groups, mostly composed of experienced knappers coming to the site to explore the local flint sources and produce reserves of specialized lithic tools.
Nonetheless, a small portion of the refitted lithic operative chains undoubtfully testifies the presence of less competent knappers (moreover showing very diverse technicity levels, conceptual knowledge, experience, access to proper knapping tools, and specific patterns of intra-site spatial distribution), thus complicating the “experienced knappers party” picture.
If any direct interpretation of technological evidence of insufficient knowledge or knapping experience as the “work” of children or juveniles should be ruled out as oversimplifying, at Les Maîtreaux, it is the combined analysis of technological, raw-material, and spatial data that can shed light on the on-site actions of these inexperienced knappers and help understand their role in the group and their presence at Maîtreaux.