« Statut de Berger » des communautés atlasiques, néolithisées du Maghreb oriental, dès 7000 BP

Abstract

Neolithization through karstic rocky territories from Eastern Maghreb is supported by a special form of pastoralism. Between 7000–5000 BP, a prominent sheep and goat animal husbandry represents a shepherd’ permanent objective, while domestic cattle seems to play a saving role. Aurès reaches allowed us to study a global shepherd living, initiated by small groups, labelled as Neolithic of Capsian Tradition, stricto sensu (NCT). A new approach focuses here on non local archaeological finds from the Capéletti cave, a residential key-site located on the slopes of the Khanguet Si Mohamed Tahar amphitheatre (1540m), gives the lead to explore a winter lowland transhumance behaviour, which was a yearly extension of a summer upland behaviour. Through synchronized data, selected among exotic cultural documents, such as polished stone axes and adzes; marine and ivory-ornaments; and lowland botanic remains from marshes, such as elements of a steppic and salted vegetation, trapped inside sheep fleece, new evidences emerged which were linked, then, with new data based on flocks evaluation as alive animals. This study gives precision on: • the shepherd’s long term objective; • the initial and natural animal husbandry which moved, through an empirical management, on an increasing and controlled sheep, goat and cattle breeding; • the non local cultural goods broad-spectrum, coveted by the shepherds; • the flock meat/animal goods, coveted by peddling nomadic people; • the exchange act and its conventions; • how and when vanished epipaleolithic traditions of this NCT facies, through shepherds’ deliberate and progressive exchanges; • and how and when, outside farming process, might have appeared, on lowlands and hilly areas, a typical open countryside landscape, strictly linked with this ongoing pastoralism. This first local Status of the Shepherd which was the main objective of this neolithization may have settled and spread out through Maghreb territories, an Atlasic Pastoral Society.