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New documentation on digging techniques of the prehistoric funerary hypogea of the western Mediterranean Maria Grazia Melis, Marie-Elise Porqueddu To cite this version: Maria Grazia Melis, Marie-Elise Porqueddu. New documentation on digging techniques of the prehistoric funerary hypogea of the western Mediterranean. Origini Preistoria e Protostoria delle civiltà - Prehistory and protohistory of ancient civilizations, Dipartimento di Scienze dell’Antichità dall’Università Sapienza di Roma, 2015, pp.129-150. hal-02066451 HAL Id: hal-02066451 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02066451 Submitted on 29 Jan 2021 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. NEW DOCUMENTATION ON DIGGING TECHNIQUES OF THE PREHISTORIC FUNERARY HYPOGEA OF THE WESTERN MEDITERRANEAN Maria Grazia Melis* Marie Elise Porqueddu** ABSTRACT – The digging of rock-cut tombs in Sardinia underwent an important development dur- ing the 4thmillennium BC, in particular in the north-western part of the island.The subject is currently being re-examined by Maria Grazia Melis and her team through field research at S’Elighe Entosu. This necropolis is composed of eight hypogea, dug between the Final Neolithic and the Bronze Age. The study deals with various themes, including the positioning of the necropolis within the landscape, the archi- tecture of the tombs and the diverse phases of related human activity. Recently the architectural data has been updated through the study of excavation techniques employed in creating the monuments. The new information has been fundamental in understanding the articulation of human frequentation of the site and the history of the various modifications made to the hypogea. The investigation was based on the analysis of excavation or tool marks present on the surfaces of the cuts and on the analysis of tools found in Tomb IV. Experimental archaeology played an important role in the proceedings. This re- search has led to the creation of a database of tool-marks, the study of picks and the experimental re- production of this type of instrument. KEYWORDS – Rock-cut tombs, digging techniques, experimental archaeology, photogrammetry. RIASSUNTO – L’escavazione degli ipogei funerari raggiunse in Sardegna un importante sviluppo nel corso del IV millennio BC, in modo particolare nella parte nord-occidentale dell’isola. La te- matica è stata riesaminata da Maria Grazia Melis e dal suo team in una ricerca sul campo in corso di elaborazione a S’EligheEntosu. La necropoli è composta da otto ipogei, scavati tra il Neolitico finale e l’età del Bronzo. Lo studio analizza diversi aspetti, che comprendono il funzionamento della necropoli nell’ambiente naturale, l’architettura delle tombe e le diverse fasi d’uso in relazione alle attività dei gruppi umani che la frequentarono. Recentemente i dati architettonici sono stati integrati con lo studio delle tecniche di escavazione delle grotticelle artificiali. L’indagine è por- tata avanti attraverso l’analisi delle tracce di escavazione presenti nelle pareti degli ipogei e l’anal- isi degli strumenti da scavo rinvenuti nella tomba IV. L’archeologia sperimentale svolge un ruolo importante nello sviluppo della ricerca, che ha portato alla creazione di un data-base delle tracce di escavazione, allo studio dei picchi e alla loro riproduzione sperimentale. PAROLE CHIAVE – Ipogei funerari, tecniche di escavazione, fotogrammetria. INTRODUCTION um cal. BC. The practise underwent an important development during the 4th In the western basin of the Mediter- millennium in the ambit of the Ozieri fa- ranean the phenomenon of rock-cut cies, and in particular in the north-west- tombs has its earliest manifestations in Sar- ern part of the island (Meloni 2007). The dinia in the first half of the 5th Millenni- hypogea of this period are given the Sar- dinian name of domus de janas; there are picks discovered in tomb IV of S’Elighe more than 3000 known examples, of Entosu. Almost all of these digging in- which roughly 1350 are in the province struments were found in the Bronze of Sassari. Age occupation layers of the corridor of In 1994 a congress was held in Sardinia the tomb, reused as building material for (Melis 2000), which represented an im- a succession of cobbled floor surfaces. portant opportunity for the internation- The study of digging methods is par- al scientific community to meet and ex- ticularly important because notwith- change ideas. Roughly twenty years later standing the large number of this type of a project has been initiated that involves tomb present on the island, the subject has Italy, France and Spain, aimed at pro- only occasionally been examined (Tanda moting the debate on the general themes 1984; Melosu 2008); this is also the case of prehistoric hypogea of the western in internationally, where discussion of the Mediterranean, with particular attention topic remains to a certain extent unde- to insular contexts and to the ways in veloped. which they were initially created. The necropolis of S’Elighe Entosu At the heart of the Italian participation constitutes an important archive because in the project is the study of the necrop- these monuments underwent diverse olis of S’Elighe Entosu (Usini, Sassari), phases of architectonic adjustment; these in north-western Sardinia (figs. 1-2). It modifications are very often most clear- was formed of nine hypogea, one of ly seen through the various marks left on which was of uncertain identification, one wall surfaces, the result of using different was dug in the Middle Bronze Age and techniques and tools. Most recently at- the remainder date to the Final Neolithic. tention has been focused in particular on It became part of a multi-year research tombs III and IV. Domus III still contained programme, under the direction of the some traces of the most ancient phase of author (Melis 2010; Melis et alii 2011), excavation on the walls of its entrance cor- aimed at a reconstruction of the rela- ridor; the antechamber underwent two tionship between the necropolis and the phases of enlargement, both through the surrounding territory. Currently archi- use of metal tools. Tomb IV is distin- tectonic characteristics and the various guished by its extremely long dromos, phases of excavation of the underground which due to its exceptional dimensions chambers are being examined in greater represents an extremely important element detail. This is done through morpho- in the architecture of hypogea. The cor- logical/technological analyses of the dig- ridor, notwithstanding its poor state of ging marks visible on the surfaces of the conservation, still bears marks created dur- tombs and a technological and functional ing the initial digging of the tomb in part analysis of the tools used to dig the hy- of the south-west wall. pogea. Subsequently experimental activ- In order to reliably date the marks it will ity is added to the research, providing im- be necessary to extend the research to portant data to help verify technological those features with a well defined chronol- considerations. The basis of the experi- ogy; for example domus VII, which, un- mentation was provided by the techno- like the others, was dug during the Mid- logical and functional examination of the dle Bronze Age, and the tombs from the Fig. 1 – S’Elighe Entosu (Usini, Sassari). 1, tomb III; 2-3, tomb IV (1,3, by Melis 2010; 2, photo M. G. Melis). nearby Roman necropolis and the adja- fy and compare the various marks corre- cent post-Roman quarry. sponding to the different phases of exca- The final objective is in fact to identi- vation and use of the necropolis. Fig. 2 – S’Elighe Entosu (Usini, Sassari). Map of tomb III and localisation of surface documented through photogrammetry and laser scanning. (by Melis 2010; photos M. G. Melis). The reading of these marks is often dif- hypogea was entrusted in 2012 to Marie ficult and is sometimes complicated by Elise Porqueddu within the remit of the both human activity over time (changes mémoires de Master 1 and 2 at the Uni- to the shape of the tomb, wilful damage versité de Bourgogne (Porqueddu 2011- etc), and by erosion and natural decay of 2012; 2012-2013). Currently the subject the rock. It must also be remembered that is the basis of her doctorate thesis run con- the most ancient phases, corresponding to currently with two universities (Aix-Mar- the digging of the hypogea during the Fi- seille Université – Università di Sassari), nal Neolithic, are generally noted for the in which the discussion is approached over fine finishing of their surfaces; this pro- a broader territorial scale; the study is in cedure obviously obliterates marks made fact extended to include hypogea in during the preceding passages of the France, and in particular those of chaîne opératoire, leaving only the final Fontvieille in the Departement of Bouch- stage evident. This is mostly seen in the es du Rhône (southern France). inner chambers, while in the various The experimental activity was under- dromos it appears that this phase of fin- taken by LaPArS (Laboratorio di Preisto- ishing was not undertaken, as digging ria e Archeologia Sperimentale), also util- marks left by stone tools are still visible. ising students from the Università di The study of digging techniques of the Sassari. Through this experimentation, a new approach to the study of hypogea is identification of the tools used and for the possible, though it also provides new per- reconstruction of the methods employed spectives and insights into the organisa- by the engraver.

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