Isabelle ABADIE,  with the cooperation of  François GENTILI, Bruno BOULESTIN, Philippe CHARLIER and Jean-Hervé YVINEC EVIDENCE OF ANTHROPIC INTERVENTION ON HUMAN BONE REMAINS DEPOSITED IN AN EARLY MEDIEVAL STORAGE-PIT "La Confiserie" Site, Villiers-le-Bel (Val-d’Oise)

Abstract

Excavation in 2004 of an early medieval settlement at the "La Confiserie" site in Villiers-le-Bel (Val-d’Oise) provided evidence, within a storage pit, of human bone remains which had sustained anthropic intervention. The frontal-bone of the first individual showed evidence of cutting and fragments of partially-connected human bones discovered at the bottom of the pit also carried cut marks. The present article considers the questions raised by this particularly rare, or even novel, type of deposit. A brief presentation of the discovery context is followed by identification of the marks observed and suggested interpretations for the actions responsible. Lastly, the practices revealed are considered with their historical and ethnological context.

Keywords