Oppida

Seemingly empty spaces in various archaeological settings have left many unanswered questions. This paper focuses on the appearance, maintenance and possible function of a large empty area situated at the summit plateau of the Iron Age oppidum Bibracte in France. Multidisciplinary research of the infill of the ditch that delimited this area in the 1 st century BC has provided evidence on the primary function and the formation processes of the structure itself, and for the reconstruction of the appearance, maintenance and function of the area it enclosed. The results allow us to gain insight into a variety of topics, including the role of trees, hygiene measures and waste management strategies at this urbanised hilltop centre. This paper demonstrates that multi-proxy analyses provide detailed insight into the function of archaeological features in a local environmental context and the potential of such approaches in archaeology.

Les agglomérations ouvertes du sud-ouest de la France à la fin de l’âge du Fer : le cas des Volques et des Aquitains

Dans le sud de Midi-Pyrénées, les agglomérations ouvertes de la fin de l’âge du Fer sont attestées depuis les années 1960. Mais, à l’exception de Toulouse-Saint-Roch, aucune n’a fait l’objet de recherches dédiées avant les années 2000. Un premier bilan permet d’établir leurs caractéristiques générales. Les sites occupent en général les terrasses situées au plus près des voies d’eau naturelles, quelquefois près d’un gué, et les emprises observées, en dehors de sites exceptionnels comme Auch et Toulouse Saint-Roch, oscillent entre 3-4 et 10 hectares. En outre, ces établissement assument des fonctions artisanales et commerciales, subvenant aux besoins locaux ou micro-régionaux. Enfin, la plupart perdure à travers un vicus à l’époque romaine. Malgré tout, les données réunies montrent que ces agglomérations ne forment pas un ensemble homogène ; les recherches à venir devraient donc permettre d’affiner leur caractérisation.


The open agglomerations of southwest France at the end of the Iron Age: the case of the Volques and the Aquitaine people

In the south of Midi-Pyrénées, the open agglomerations of the end of the Iron Age have been attested since the 1960s. With the exception of Toulouse-Saint-Roch, none was the subject of dedicated research before the 2000s. A first assessment allows to establish their general characteristics. The sites generally occupy theterraces located closest to the natural waterways, sometimes near a ford, and the rights-of-way observed, apart from exceptional sites like Auch and Toulouse Saint-Roch, range from 3-4 to 10 hectares. In addition, these establishments assume craft and commercial functions, providing for local or micro-regional needs. Finally, most of them last through a vicus in Roman times. Despite everything, the data gathered show that these agglomerations do not form a homogeneous whole; future research should therefore allow to refine their characterization.

During recent archaeological surveys with metal detectors in 2017 three late Iron Age iron depot were uncovered in the oppidum of Velem-Szent Vid. These tool hoards are considered a typical Celtic phenomenon. They
contained two or three agricultural implements or woodworking equipment. All three hoards were found in situ, in their original location and context, which were precisely documented. The finds of Velem undoubtedly belong to the group of tools that were primarily used during agricultural works, and they show numerous analogies in the late La Tène period.