2001-
... : the Pierre Fritte dolmen at Yermenonville, Eure-et-Loir |
 |
|
Following
a preliminary excavation campaign in 2001 for the purpose
of verifying the archeological potential of the Pierre Fritte
dolmen, located in the township of Yermenonville, Eure-et-Loir,
we undertook starting in 2002 a three-year programmed excavation.
In 2003, our efforts were concentrated on the monument’s
outlying area, and we also began work on the burial chamber. |
|
The
Pierre Fritte dolmen prior to excavation …
|
… adrift in France’s Beauce grainfields. |
| |
|
Southwest
of the monument, the obstruction previously encountered, consisting
of closely fitted limestone blocks 10 to 15 cm thick, subsists,
albeit in a rather diffuse state in its outermost reaches.
These disturbances are in all likelihood due to farming. To
the northwest, three small and highly characteristic postholes
have been identified. |
| Excavation
layout in 2003
(© Jean-Marc Mourain) |
 |
|
|
Conversely,
east of the monument, this blockage (designated layer III)
is relatively well preserved, especially near the eastern
pillar. A perfectly preserved partition effect in conjunction
with a negative feature indicates when the pillar was toppled:
after the blockage had been laid down. |
| |
The
somewhat randomly placed sandstone blocks to the north (the
“little menhir”) and to the south have turned
out to be recent, having come on the scene subsequent to
the 1930 “excavation”. Lastly, a beginning of
excavation of the burial chamber unearthed, at the surface,
a very large number of tiny fragments of human bone. A first
sign of blockage appears in the chamber’s southeastern
corner. However, for obvious safety reasons, we were obliged
to postpone operations in this sector: the pillars slant
dangerously and will need to be moved next year. |
 |
The
burial chamber |
|
| |
|
As to
artifacts, very few potshards were uncovered this year, none
of them decorated. A fragment of a Pressignian blade and an
arrowhead with a cutting edge were the most characteristic
stone tools found undisturbed in the obstruction (layer II).
Eleven dental elements were discovered near the edge of the
chamber. Finally, a fragment of a finely decorated bone drill
is part of this year’s yield. In rubble from the earlier
excavation a fragment of a schist bracelet and one of a polished
axe were found. |
 |
The
peripheral blockage |
|
|
This excavation
campaign has in particular made it possible better to establish
the limits of the blockage surrounding the monument. Topographical
evidence already gives information about the relative chronology
of the human-related deposits, as well as about later transformations.
Without assimilating this with a condemnation per se, it is
already quite clear that the toppling of the pillars occurred
in ancient times, very probably as soon as the dolmen was
no longer used for burial purposes. |
|
Summary
of the 2003 excavation report |
Text
: Dominique Jagu |
| |
|
The
dig team hard at work … |
| |
2003
slide show |
|
|
Low
Quality |
High
Quality |
(460
Ko) |
(1
Mo) |
|
|
Flash plug-in needed | download here : |
|
|
|
|
Excavation staff : |
-
Madeleine Caron ( † ) |
-
Marie-Annick Miljavac |
| -
Karine Pennetier |
| -
Frédéric Dupont |
| -
Richard Longuépée |
| -
Jean-Marc Mourain |
| -
Stéphane Peineau |
|
