Chronologie et circulation d’individus dans le Rubané Résultats de l’analyse des industries osseuses rubanées de l’Allemagne au Bassin parisien
Authors: Sidéra Isabelle 
Published: February 2017

This article is based on a study of Bandkeramik (LBK) artefacts in bone and antler from sites distributed over a wide geographical area, stretching from Baden-Württemberg to the Paris basin. The study highlights breaks and continuities in trends at inter-regional, regional and local scales, reflecting not only chronology but also other factors (Sidéra 1989, 2010 and 2012). The characteristics of the assemblages in relation to these three geographical scales are described here and some new interpretations are discussed. Twenty-three types of artefact in bone, tooth and antler can be differentiated (fig. 2). A first major break is apparent at the inter-regional scale between the early/ middle LBK and the late/ final LBK. This is a chronological break, as there is a clear development through time in the nature of the assemblages, reflecting change in technical and functional aspects. Large perforated antler implements (fig. 2, no. 5), found on many sites from Austria to Alsace, are typical of the early and middle LBK. This type disappears in the late and final LBK. New types of artefact appear in these later stages, such as bone rings in Alsace and the Paris basin. At the same time, a process of regionalisation develops as early as the middle stage, becoming more accentuated at the end of the LBK. Thus ‘ T-axes’ (fig. 2, type no. 3) appear in the late and final LBK of Baden-Württemberg, and continue in this region after the LBK, through the Hinkelstein, Grossgartach and Rössen sequence. Thin pointed tools with flattened epiphysis and sides (fig. 2, type no. 23 ; fig. 5) are found exclusively in the Paris basin. Developments at the regional scale are best illustrated by assemblages from the Paris basin dating to the Rubané Récent du Bassin Parisien (RRBP). Here the largest corpus (456 artefacts) is from Cuiry-lès-Chaudardes and twenty-five types can be distinguished (fig. 4). Antler is used relatively little and most of the types are on bone. Edge tools show the highest morphological diversity (fig. 4, type nos. 18 to 25), followed by pointed tools (fig. 4, type nos. 9 to 13). Thin points with flattened epiphysis and sides, made on metapodials probably divided just by abrasion, become the most common type of pointed tool in the final stage of the RRBP and remain frequent in the early stage of Villeneuve-Saint-Germain (fig. 6). A clear continuity can thus be seen between the latest LBK and the beginnings of Villeneuve-Saint-Germain, as has also been shown for pottery and the flint industries (Constantin and Ilett, 1997 ; Allard, 2005). All this evidence demonstrates the existence of chronological trends in LBK bone industries, not only over a broad temporal range but also over shorter intervals of time. Bone artefacts can indeed be quite reliable chronological indicators. At the local or intra-site scale, chronology is apparently not the only factor contibuting to assemblage variability. This can be illustrated by examing the distribution of rings and thin points with flattened epiphysis and sides through the sequence of three ceramic phases established for Cuiry-lès-Chaudardes. In the earliest phase, there are very few rings and flat-sided points. In the middle phase, the flat-sided points are present in all the house contexts, excepting house no. 440 and possibly also house no. 380. Rings are more common as well, occurring notably with house no. 440 and no. 380. In the last phase, flat-sided points are more frequent in all the contexts. Thus the bone tool assemblages from houses no. 440 and perhaps also no. 380 are anomalous in terms of chronology. While the chronological factor undeniably contributes to assemblage variation on the site, this does not apply to all the houses. Chronology cannot explain the absence of flat-sided points in certain house contexts. Another explanation must therefore be found. The hypothesis put forward here is that the bone artefact assemblages from contemporary house contexts on the settlement result from different regional traditions. Thus the assemblages with bone rings but without flat-sided points could reflect a tradition from upper Alsace and Baden-Württemberg. The assemblages associating rings and flat-sided points could reflect a mixture of LBK and Cardial technological traditions (Sidéra, 2008, 2010 et 2012 ; Sidéra et al., 2010). Very similar thin flat-sided points occur in the Cardial/ Epicardial of Spain (Bosch et al., 2000, fig. 199), as do bone rings in graves (Yravedra Sainz de los Terreros et al., 2008). The mixed tradition could have come to the Aisne valley via the Champagne region, from where much of the flint at Cuiry-lès-Chaudardes originates (Allard, 2005). The presence of these distinct traditions within the site can thus be seen as evidence for networks of movement of people within the LBK, probably based on kinship and exogamy (fig. 7). This offers a new view of LBK society, involving highly mobile individuals and quite permeable social groups, and resulting in diversity in the population structure of settlements.