Serious and Solutrean occupation Paléolithique supérieur (≈ 1505000 av. J.-C.)
Tools and fireplaces discovered in 1956.
Âge du bronze
Ceramics characteristic
Ceramics characteristic Âge du bronze (≈ 1500 av. J.-C.)
Tessons named "Camera du Bois-du-Roc".
1956
Study of debris
Study of debris 1956 (≈ 1956)
Discovery of the three archaeological levels.
22 avril 1991
Registration for historical monuments
Registration for historical monuments 22 avril 1991 (≈ 1991)
Protection of wood deposits in Roc.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Key figures
André Ragout - Discovery of the site
Identified the shelter before his death in 1940.
Lionel Balout - Archaeologist
Searches of 1957 mentioned in reference.
Origin and history
L'Abri du Bois-du-Roc, also known as Abri André Ragout, is a prehistoric site located in the commune of Vilhonneur, Charente (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). It is located on the limestone mounds overlooking the left bank of the Tardoire, near the Grotto du Placard and other shelters such as the Cave du Chasseur. The site, spotted by André Ragout, was partially destroyed before being studied in 1956, revealing three archaeological levels: Gravettien, Solutreen and Bronze Age.
The shelter, now partially collapsed, delivered objects characteristic of each period. The upper layer contains reindeer bones and elements of the Bronze Age, while the lower levels reveal solutrean focal points and Gravettien tools, including 99 Christmas burins. These artifacts, such as the cranial spikes and typical ceramics, attest to a continuous human occupation over several millennia.
The 1956 excavations discovered tools in flint, quartz and jasper, as well as trimmings (drilled teeth, shells, bone needles). The site, which was listed as a historical monument in 1991, illustrates the importance of the Charente region for research on the Upper Paleolithic. The deposits of the Roc wood, including this shelter, are protected for their exceptional archaeological value.
The Bois-du-Roc shelter is associated with other nearby sites, such as the Placard Cave, less than a kilometre away. These ensembles form a coherent prehistoric landscape, marked by successive occupations and cultural exchanges. The Noailles burins, among the smallest tools in Paleolithic, were found in large numbers, confirming its key role in the study of ancient technologies.
Today, the site remains a major testimony of prehistoric lifestyles in New Aquitaine. Its registration in 1991 aims to preserve the remains threatened by erosion and past looting. The ceramics of Bois-du-Roc, typical of the Bronze Age, even gave their name to a regional style, highlighting the scientific importance of the place.
