Sarcophagi between the Loire river and the Pyrénées between the 4th and the 8th century : observation, study based on technical and morphological aspects ; Les sarcophages entre Loire et Pyrénées : observations et études par des critères techniques et morphologiques

Abstract

Within the framework of the chronological et typological space made of the territories between the Loire river and the Pyrénées mountain at the beginning of early Middle Ages, cultural and political diversity leads to a transformation of the funerary containers. Between roman heritage and local innovation, the sarcophagi production undergoes various evolutions, partially constrained by the available natural resources and the tools used. The main goal of this work was in a first place to take an inventory of the sarcophagi and study their dispersion on the territory mentioned. The 1840 sarcophagi identified over more than 150 archaeological sites implied developing a suitable methodology and useful tools to gather the data and permit their analysis. Therefore, a practical database was designed to fulfill the need of recording measures, preservation state and other information on the sarcophagi observed. At the same time, the different defined types of sarcophagi were depicted on maps, in order to evaluate their geographical dispersion. This comparative approach based on morphological and typological study of the funerary containers has been enhanced with statistical analyses on measures recorded. These different processes succeeded in depicting various productions with different characteristics. In addition to these characteristics, the data collected allowed to feed different topics on a larger scale, such as the diffusion of these goods beyond strong cultural frontiers. On the contrary, distribution networks appear to be well organized and very efficient on a local or regional scale. Most of the sarcophagi productions are local, and only types and ideas travel, even if some of the sarcophagi travelled over long distances. The conclusions obtained shed the light on new elements on topics such as economy and techniques, where the sarcophagus holds a central place. ; Dans cet espace chronologique et géographique que constitue le territoire entre la Loire et les Pyrénées au début du haut Moyen-Âge, la diversité ...