L’enceinte Michelsberg de Crécy-sur-Serre (Aisne, France). Présentation préliminaire

The site is located on a low plateau next to the river Serre, a tributary of the Oise. The ditch, only feature dating from middle Neolithic II, is 850 metres long and delineates three sides of a sub-rectangular area of about fifteen hectares. It is formed by a succession of segments of very variable length. The eastern end of the ditch coincides with a locally marked escarpment, while there is no topographic break between the western end and the alluvial zone. The section and dimensions of the ditch show considerable variation, rendering unlikely the presence of a regular bank along the whole length of the enclosure. No traces of an internal palissade were preserved. Various domestic features were observed in the ditch fill, including an oven, hearths and a feature with burnt stones. Most finds come from the western part. As well as classic domestic waste, there are deposits which seem to reflect more symbolic behaviour. The ceramic typology offers numerous comparisons with the early Michelsberg sites of the Aisne and Vesle valleys, further to the south. Some vessels are of Chasséen inspiration and are more comparable with finds from ditched sites in the Oise, defining the early northern Chasséen. However, use of moss and burnt flint as pottery temper indicates a technological connection with Belgium and the Nord -Pas-de-Calais region. The flint industry includes blades, which is a characteristic of Michelsberg.