Lithic production and supply of raw material at Michelsberg in the lower Marne basin
Résumé
Based on the characterisation of the production of stone implements and tools according to the type of settlement, I propose to outline the main characteristics of the Middle Neolithic II (Michelsberg) flint industry in the lower Marne basin of the Seine-et-Marne department. The analysis of production from different categories of contemporary sites (flintknapping workshops linked to flint mining, domestic workshops linked to settlements) raises the question of the territorial economy of the lithic industry at Michelsberg. The focus is on Bartonian flint axe production (Brunet V., 2022).
The raw material for the family flint knapping workshops on the Brie Plateau was obtained from the nearest flint mining site (Bostyn and Lanchon, 1992). A rigorous selection process led to the sorting of flints, with those best suited for bifacial shaping - generally of good to medium quality - being sent to the workshops. On the other hand, the flint used for domestic production is the same as that used for bifacial production, with the difference that uncalibrated flints are used in settlements. Regional raw materials were used to supply the local population with specific products such as blades and axes, but raw materials were sourced locally from the flint mines.
In terms of production, there was mass production of large axes for trade, exclusively at the Jablines mine, and small axes for domestic use in workshops and settlements. The latter were also used to produce a small quantity of flakes. Each site was responsible for its own production, including the selection of raw materials, the manufacture of tools, and the production of axes for domestic use. The enclosures received and distributed the bifacial production from the flint knapping workshops and the flint mines. In Middle Neolithic II, the lithic economy seemed to favour interrelationships and cooperation.