Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The polishers of the Bois de la Guigneraie, also called polishers of the Bois de la Balance, form a set of four monuments located in Souzy-la-Briche, in the Essonne department, in Île-de-France. These vestiges date from Neolithic and reflect the techniques of polishing stone tools by prehistoric communities. The first polisher, discovered the oldest, was classified as a historic monument on 20 March 1899. It is distinguished by two large natural basins and a polished beach crossed by four grooves, one of which, 57 cm long, is well preserved.

In 1912, G. Courty reported a second polisher, located 70 metres west of the first, in the same wood but on the neighbouring town of Villeconin. The other two polishers were not identified until 1998, when a systematic prospect was conducted by L. Faure, R. Masson and A. Bénard. These monuments are carved in outcropping sandstone benches and have polished surfaces as well as grooves of various sizes and shapes, reflecting their artisanal use.

This geographical area is particularly rich in polishers: nearby are the thirteen polishers of the Bois de Val Salmon 500 meters to the west, as well as those of the Croix Boissée and Bois de la Briche, located 1 km to the north and 2.5 km to the northeast, respectively. These groupings suggest intense tool-cutting and size activity during Neolithic, linked to the presence of suitable geological resources and the social organization of local communities.

Polisher No. 1, ranked in 1899, illustrates the early interest in preserving these remains. The initial descriptions, such as that of 1902, highlight its geological characteristics and its partial conservation state, marked by erosion and past human activities, such as the extraction of stone by quarrying. These elements provide valuable insights into the technical practices and lifestyles of neolithic populations in Île-de-France.

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