Mesolithic occupation patterns at Auneau “Le Parc du Château” (Eure-et-Loir – France): contribution of zooarchaeological analysis from two main pits to the understanding of type and length of occupation

Abstract

The archaeological site “Le Parc du Château” located close to the town of Auneau in the central part of the Paris Basin and 60 km southwest of Paris, was excavated for nearly 20 years, starting in 1979. In addition to Neolithic occupations, the site became famous for its very specific Mesolithic occupations, covering an area of at least 200 m2 and characterized by the presence of more than 70 pits. These features show diverse morphologies and functions: burials, intentional deposits, fireplaces and cooking pits, wedging features, sandstone extraction pits, rubbish pits and possible storage structures. They are attributed to different Mesolithic phases, from the end of the Early Mesolithic to the Late Mesolithic (according to microlith typology and radiocarbon dates). Most of the 70 Mesolithic pits yielded very well-preserved faunal remains in different proportions. The recent analysis of the faunal remains was undertaken, in connection with the analyses of other Mesolithic archaeological features and lithic artifacts in order to better understand the nature of the occupations at Auneau. This constitutes a central question for the understanding of the site itself and concerns the question of mobility patterns during the Mesolithic. This paper focuses on the zooarchaeological analysis of the two main pits excavated at Auneau, both attributed to the Middle Mesolithic. The detailed analysis of both assemblages yielded significant results regarding the function and use of the features, the nature and cycle of occupations involved and, more generally, the characterization of the site. These results offer the opportunity to discuss the question of possible specific sedentism events during the Mesolithic, and also to discuss the role and function of Mesolithic pits.