Le Campaniforme en France et dans les îles Anglo-Normandes : caractérisation des productions céramiques

Abstract

ABSTRACT The technological and typological analysis of seven hundred and fifty Bell Beakers from French tombs and settlements led us to reconsider the definition of Bell Beaker pottery and to reexamine the chronology of styles. We suggest reserving the term Bell Beaker for pottery which corresponds to a standard, defined by beakers with an "S" profile, coloured orange, decorated by hatching or lines often impressed with shells. The pots which diverge from this standard, traditionally termed Bell Beakers, have to be considered as late Neolithic ceramic groups, closely linked to Bell Beakers. According to the traditional chronology, the two groups of pottery succeed one another : the standard Bell Beaker diffused in an early stage before the regional styles appeared in a late stage. On the basis of radiocarbon dates, associations in single graves and analyses of series of pots, we think that this chronology is invalid. In fact, the variability of decoration depends more on the context pots (academic style for the funerary pots and freer style for domestic pottery) than on chronology.