Origin and history
Bougon's tumulus constitute a set of five tumuli (and an atypical structure, the tumulus D) erected between the fifth and third millennia BC, in a Bougon River loop, on a limestone plateau. This site, used as a collective necropolis, contains eight sepulchral rooms spread over less than two hectares. The first constructions date from the beginning of the fifth millennium BC, but the site was reused until the middle of the third millennium BC, with traces of secondary burials and varied funeral furniture (ceramics, flint tools, trimmings). The bipartition of the necropolis, marked by tumulus D, suggests the existence of two distinct communities that coexisted or succeeded at the site.
Archaeological excavations began in 1840, initiated by Charles Arnault, Ch. Sauze and M. Baugier on behalf of the Société de Statistique des Deux-Sèvres. These first explorations, centered on tumulus A, reveal skeletons, flint objects and ceramics, as well as an engraving interpreted as a bird on a pillar. A rivalry between learned societies (Société des Antiquaires de l ́Ouest) emerged, accelerating excavations on other tumulus (C, E, F). In 1875, the Conseil général des Deux-Sèvres acquired the plots and closed the site, marking the beginning of its protection. The excavations resumed in 1968 under the direction of Claude Burnez, then Jean-Pierre Mohen (1972-1986), revealing complex structures and rich furniture, including the oldest human bones dated from Neolithic in Western Europe (c. 4700 BC).
The tumulus A, with a diameter of 40 m, is distinguished by its funeral chamber covered with a slab of 90 tons, supported by oblique pillars. The tumulus C, built in three phases, illustrates an architectural evolution, from a circular cairn (C1) to a massive monument (C3) permanently sealing access. The longest tumulus F (72 m) combines three parts (F0 to F2) with the book of graves dated the fifth millennium BC, as well as tools and ceramics. The tumulus D, an enigmatic structure with no known equivalent, may have served as a symbolic separator between the two parts of the necropolis. These discoveries, supplemented by carbon 14 dating, identified six phases of site development, reflecting its prolonged use and ritual transformations.
In 1993, the Tumulus Museum of Bougon was inaugurated, with archaeological collections from local and regional excavations. Designed by architect Jean-François Milou, it offers an immersion in the Neolithic, with reconstructions of megalithic monuments and archaeological experiments conducted between 1979 and 1998. The latter, led by Jean-Pierre Mohen, tested techniques of transport and lifting of monumental slabs, such as that of tumulus F2 (32 tons), displaced by 230 people in 1979. The adjacent archaeological park incorporates educational spaces, evoking daily life and prehistoric construction techniques, while the site itself, classified as a Historic Monument in 1960, remains a major testimony of megalithism in New Aquitaine.
Bougon's tumulus also inspired comparative research, notably with the venues of Salles and Pambroux, and attracted international attention thanks to the richness of their funeral furniture. The objects discovered, such as support vases, fibrolith axes or variscite beads, are displayed at the museum alongside models and historical documents. The site, owned by the Deux-Sèvres department, is now a place of visit and research, offering a unique insight into funeral practices and the social organization of neolithic communities in the West Central of France.
Announcements
Please log in to post a review