Archaeology, Society and Environment

ASE - ISSN 2752-4507 - © ISTE Ltd

Journal issues

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Recent articles

Between events and processes: on the possible meetings between archeology and pedology

In order to gain a more detailed understanding of the interrelations between archaeology and pedology, it is possible to describe in detail the targeted objects and the protocols used by each, by comparing concrete experiments and attempting to make the comparison more general. We have decided to include here a few considerations on the metaphysics of time, because we feel that they are rarely used in the ordinary scientific exercise, and yet are likely to shed new light on the subject. Thus, the fundamental ontological distinction between events and processes seems to us to be particularly fruitful in this debate and allows us to temper somewhat any attempt at fusion (or intersection) between these disciplines.

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Rural occupation of the ZAC des Chiloux (Woippy, Moselle): How to manage (and excavate) a steep hillslope with low permeability?

Excavations carried out on a 5-hectare hillslope, in the commune of Woippy (near Metz, France), uncov-ered estate active between the 7th and 12th centuries. Finds include areas of dwellings and associated plots of land and paths. The steep hillside was developed on a low-permeability silty-clay to sandy-clay substrate. The soil horizons un-covered are linked to the small strip-shaped affected by erosion to various extents relating to topography. In addition, the excavations uncovered a complex system of drains and water-collecting ditches, which constituted a preliminary stage to the siting of the buildings and gradually organized the final shape of the plot. The water drainage management thus appears to be a key factor in the archaeological structuring of the landscape, just as to recreating drains and retention basins became necessary during the 2018 excavation to limit the impact of colluvium in the present-day village.

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Forests in the county of Nantes in the 15th century: state of the art and perspectives

Forests in the county of Nantes during the 15th century have long considered as badly handled and maintained. Seigniorial accounts lead to ask some new questions. This paper aims to sum up issues and current researches in order to take another look at this question. Tensions are increasing in the end of the Middle Ages, with several crises on territories and societies linked with the destructions of war and depredations. By studying seigniorial accounts historians could enlighten very contrasting situations depending on the main trade roads. In this special case, livestock farming is developed and put pressure on forest territories with glandees and panages. Other topics such as hunting and enclosed parks are unevenly informed by seigniorial accounts. There is a lack of field investigations to study more precisely these themes.

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The Passion-Clipperton
Anthropogenic traces on an uninhabited French atoll in the Pacific Ocean

Passion Island-Clipperton is currently free of continuous and regular human settlement, but supports a large colony of birds, crabs, rats and plant species. However, from the remnants of past human occupation to the plastic waste brought in daily by the sea, it is subject to human interaction. Following an international scientific mission, we focussed on the nature of the anthropic remains, i.e. their history, dispersion, dynamics and effects on the environment. Overall, this study addresses the history, uses, activities on and around the atoll, as well as leisure activities, human appropriation and territorial claims. The processing of this data has considerable heuristic value for the human and social sciences. The problem of waste is considered not only as a reverse side of production, but also as a research object combining historical, geographical, economic, geopolitical, landscape, environmental, ecological and symbolic dimensions. In this way, the study provides an opportunity to consider and debate the effects of the current economic and environmental crises.