(ORDO NEWS) — In France, archaeologists have discovered a prehistoric round-shaped settlement that is over 6,000 years old. This monument turned out to be one of the oldest of its kind in Europe.
The authors of the work note that science knows numerous examples of the construction of the Neolithic period.
For example, in the west and in the central part of France, prehistoric burial mounds and dolmens have been repeatedly found. However, the mystery until now was where the people of that period lived.
And now this mystery is partly ajar. Archaeologists in the town of Le Peu, using aerial photography, managed to find traces of an ancient settlement.
Field research confirmed that it was one of the oldest settlements in Europe found to date. Dating showed that it was erected in the fifth millennium BC.
Thus, the age of the monument exceeds 6000 years. By comparison, the famous Stonehenge, a megalithic monument in England, was built about 5,000 years ago.
As for the found settlement, it had a circular shape and was surrounded by a powerful wooden palisade.
The buildings in it were also predominantly wooden, and now these are the oldest wooden residential buildings known in Western Europe.
Archaeologists have unearthed the remains of three residential buildings, each of which reached about 13 meters in length.
The houses were built next door on top of a small hill overlooking the megalithic cemetery of Tucson.
Analysis of ancient soils, samples of which were extracted from cores, showed that in the Neolithic era there was a cape surrounded by a swamp. Prehistoric people built their houses on the cape.
The swamp served as a natural defensive barrier, which was additionally fortified with a moat, the powerful palisade mentioned above, and two monumental structures that literally guarded the entrance to the settlement.
“This object gives us evidence of the existence of unique monumental structures, probably defensive ones.
This indicates an increase in social tensions in the Neolithic era,” said Dr. Vincent Ard from the French National Center for Scientific Research.
However, the efforts of local residents did not help them avoid trouble. Analysis of the buildings and soil showed that the settlement was destroyed by fire around 4400 BC.
Scientists suggest that it was not a natural fire. Most likely, the settlement was burned down after the assault, during the armed conflict.
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