Beschreibung:
Bioarcheobgical approaches of castrum settlements in Languedoc. A case study of the Southern edge of Massif central (c. 900-c. 1600) In this paper, we try to develop a bioarcheological approach of the castrum settlements in a Mediterranean medium mountain habitat, through the simultaneous application of three different disciplinary fields, anthracology, archeozoology, and carpology, in order to bring to the fore, if possible, the specificities of the moutain castrum compared to the castrum populatum of the plains. Thus, it turns out that the castles built during the first age of the castrum era were focussing on consumption and the exploitation of their environment rather than on production. The gamut of agricultural and pastoral activities one can observe was enlarged during the XIIth and XIIIth centuries, and during their period of maturity the mountain castra eventually developped a system of ager/sal-tus/silva. But this phase of maximum development of the castra was also one of regional différenciation. Indeed, the expression of local particularism was promoted by the com-partimentalized relief of Languedoc. The micro-region of Calberte in Lozère was hardly identical to the micro-region of Castlar de Durfort at the western tip of the Montagne noire. Economic activities were characterized by their polyvalency, and this indeed was one of the major differences between castrum settlements of medium mountain and large fortified villages in the plain.
Une approche bioarchéologique de l’habitat castrai en milieu de moyenne montagne méditerranéenne a été tentée grâce au croisement de trois disciplines, l’anthracologie, l’archéozoologie et la carpologie, afin de mettre éventuellement en évidence les spécificités du castrum de montagne en regard du castrum populatum de plaine. Ainsi, les châteaux du premier âge castrai s’avèrent avoir pour vocation non de produire, mais de consommer et de prélever sur leur environnement. Aux XIIe et XIIIe siècles, l’éventail des activités agricoles et pastorales attestées s’enrichit. À leur maturité, les castra de montagne ont développé un système ager-saltus-silva. Mais la phase de plénitude castrale est aussi celle de la différenciation régionale, car le relief compartimenté du Languedoc favorise l’expression de particularismes locaux : le terroir de Calberte, en Lozère, n’est pas celui du Castlar de Durfort, à la pointe occidentale de la Montagne noire. Cette polyvalence des activités économiques constitue, en fin de compte, l’une des différences majeures entre les sites castraux de moyenne montagne et les gros villages forts de plaine.