The Abri Faravel, discovered in 2010 at 2,133m asl in the Parc National des Ecrins, Freissinières, Southern French Alps, is probably the most enigmatic high altitude site in the Alps. This rock shelter saw phases of human activity from the Mesolithic through to the medieval period; the artefactual assemblages comprise Mesolithic and Neolithic flint tools, Iron Age hand-thrown pottery, a Roman fibula and some medieval metalwork. However, the most interesting and unique feature on the site are the prehistoric rock paintings; the highest representations of animals (quadrupeds) in Europe. These paintings are presented in this article. The paintings themselves were the object of a white-light scan, whilst the rock-shelter and surrounding landscape was scanned using a Faro laser scanner. Both of these models are presented here, and their interpretation elucidated by an assessment of the different phases of activity at the shelter, combined with a synthesis of other evidence from the area and pertinent environmental evidence.
Interpreting the Rock Paintings of Abri Faravel: laser and white-light scanning at 2133 m in the southern French Alps.
Résumé
en
The Abri Faravel, discovered in 2010 at 2,133m asl in the Parc National des Ecrins, Freissinières, Southern French Alps, is probably the most enigmatic high altitude site in the Alps. This rock shelter saw phases of human activity from the Mesolithic through to the medieval period; the artefactual assemblages comprise Mesolithic and Neolithic flint tools, Iron Age hand-thrown pottery, a Roman fibula and some medieval metalwork. However, the most interesting and unique feature on the site are the prehistoric rock paintings; the highest representations of animals (quadrupeds) in Europe. These paintings are presented in this article. The paintings themselves were the object of a white-light scan, whilst the rock-shelter and surrounding landscape was scanned using a Faro laser scanner. Both of these models are presented here, and their interpretation elucidated by an assessment of the different phases of activity at the shelter, combined with a synthesis of other evidence from the area and pertinent environmental evidence.
Auteur(s)
Kevin Walsh1
, Florence Mocci2
, Claudia Defrasne3
, Vincent Dumas2
, Anthony Masinton1
1
Dept of Archaeology,
( 410064 )
- King's Manor, University of York, York YO1 7EP
- Royaume-Uni
University of York [York, UK] ( 124942 )
2
CCJ -
Centre Camille Jullian - Histoire et archéologie de la Méditerranée et de l'Afrique du Nord de la protohistoire à la fin de l'Antiquité
( 199915 )
- 5 Rue du château de l'Horloge - BP 647 13094 AIX EN PROVENCE CEDEX 2
- France
Aix Marseille Université UMR7299 ( 198056 )
;
Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication UMR7299 ( 300125 )
;
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR7299 ( 441569 )
3
LAMPEA -
Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique
( 208163 )
- MMSH 5 Rue du château de l'Horloge BP 647 13094 AIX EN PROVENCE CEDEX 2
- France
Aix Marseille Université UMR7269 ( 198056 )
;
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique UMR7269 ( 441569 )
;
Ministère de la Culture ( 542949 )
Langue du document
Anglais
Vulgarisation
Non
Comité de lecture
Oui
Audience
Internationale
Date de publication
2016
Date de publication électronique
2016
Date de production/écriture
2016
Nom de la revue
Internet Archaeology
(ISSN électronique : 1363-5387)
Publié par University of York
Revue non référencée dans Sherpa-Romeo
Numéro
42
Collaboration/Projet
Programme FRECHALP : La haute vallée de FReissinières : Empreinte humaine et CHangements des paysages d’un espace ALPin depuis 10 000 ans (Hautes Alpes, Parc national des Ecrins), Projet Appel Ouvert Conseil Régional PACA-CNRS-ECCOREV (dir. F. Mocci)
Domaine(s)
Sciences de l'Homme et Société/Archéologie et Préhistoire
Financement
Programme FRECHALP : La haute vallée de FReissinières : Empreinte humaine et CHangements des paysages d’un espace ALPin depuis 10 000 ans (Hautes Alpes, Parc national des Ecrins), Projet Appel Ouvert Conseil Régional PACA-CNRS-ECCOREV (dir. F. Mocci)
Mots-clés
en
Rock art (painting), Alps, France, Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, landscape archaeology, virtual models
Kevin Walsh, Florence Mocci, Claudia Defrasne, Vincent Dumas, Anthony Masinton. Interpreting the Rock Paintings of Abri Faravel: laser and white-light scanning at 2133 m in the southern French Alps.. Internet Archaeology, 2016, 42, ⟨10.11141/ia.42.1⟩. ⟨halshs-01439572⟩