Roman whetstone production in northern Gaul (Belgium and northern France)
Keywords:
whetstones, provenance, Roman period, northern Gaul, Belgium, northern France, ground stone tools
Abstract
This paper focuses on the latest research on the production of Roman whetstones in northern Gaul. To date, little has been written about this specialised industry. However, three workshops producing whetstones were discovered recently in the north of Gaul in Buizingen (Province of Flemish Brabant, Belgium), Nereth (Province of Liège, Belgium) and Le Châtelet-sur-Sormonne (Department of Ardennes, France). Production debris and rough-outs recovered at these sites allowed us to reconstruct the operational sequence of manufacture, from the choice of raw material to the finished product. Technological studies enabled us to determine the production stages and highlight the similarities and differences between the three study areas. Analyses of the materials reveal the use of fine-grained sedimentary and low-grade metamorphic rocks outcropping near the workshops. All these rocks are linked to the Caledonian inliers of Brabant-London, Stavelot-Venn, and Rocroi. The large amount of waste found at Le Châtelet-sur-Sormonne, far more than that recovered at Buizingen and Nereth, is indicative of the economic importance of this whetstone workshop. This importance is reflected in the fact that whetstones from Le Châtelet-sur-Sormonne are distributed over a large area throughout Belgium, France (Nord-Pas-de-Calais, Picardie and Champagne-Ardenne regions), Germany, and the Netherlands. This paper presents the waste and rough-outs from the three production sites. It also defines rock types and their origins and offers insights into whetstone manufacturing processes and techniques.
References
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Hanut, F., Goffioul, C., & Goemaere, E. 2012, L’établissement germanique du Bas-Empire à Baelen/Nereth, province de Liège (Belgique). In: The very beginning of Europe? Cultural and social dimensions of Early-Medieval migration and colonisation (5th-8th). Archaeology of contemporary Europe; Proceedings of the conference, May 17-19 2011, Brussels, (Annaert, R., Jacobs, T., In't Ven, I., & Coppens, S., Eds.), Relicta Monografieën 7. Flanders Heritage Agency, Brussels: p. 243-254. (in French) (“Late empire Germanic settlement in Nerteh/Baelen, Liège (Belgique)”). URL: https://oar.onroerenderfgoed.be/publicaties/RELM/7/RELM007-001.pdf
Henrich, P., Mischka, C., & Perret, S. 2008, Die römische Villa mit spätantiker Schmiede von Oberbettingen Hillingweise, Landkreis Vulkaneifel. Funde and Ausgrabungen im Bezirk Trier, 40: 84-94. (in German) (“The Roman villa with a late Empire forge von Oberbettingen Hillingweise, Landkreise Vulkaneifel”)
Herbosch, A., Dumoulin, V., Blockmans, S., & Debacker, S. 2013, Carte Géologique de Wallonie. Ittre-Rebecq n°39/1-2, 1/25000. Service Public de Wallonie, Namur, 114 p. (in French) (“Geological map of Wallonia, Ittre-Rebecq n°39/1-2, 1/25000”)
Kars, H. 1983, Early-Medieval Dorestad, an archaeological study. Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek, 33: 1-37.
Manning, W.H. 1995, Honestones. In: Report on the Excavations at Usk 1965-1976. The Roman Small Finds, (Manning, W.H., Price, J., & Webster, J., Eds.), University of Wales, Cardiff: p. 257-263.
Picavet, P., Fronteau, G., & Boyer, F. 2011, Les meules romaines de sept chefs-lieux de cité de Gaule Belgique occidentale, étude du matériel et synthèse bibliographique. Revue du Nord, 93(393): 167-226. (in French) (“The Roman millstones of seven capitals of western Gallia Belgica, a study of the material and a bibliographical synthesis”). doi:10.3917/rdn.393.0167
Pierrard, J.-M. 2010a, Découverte d’un atelier romain de pierres à aiguiser. Ucclensia, 229: 5-12. (in French) (“Discovery of a Roman whetstone workshop”)
Pierrard, J.-M. 2010b, Découverte d’un atelier romain de pierres à aiguiser (II). Ucclensia, 230: 11-16. (in French) (“Discovery of a Roman whetstone workshop (II)”)
Pierrard, J.-M. 2011a, Découverte d’un atelier romain de pierres à aiguiser (III). Ucclensia, 233: 2-10. (in French) (“Discovery of a Roman whetstone workshop (III)”)
Pierrard, J.-M. 2011b, Découverte d’un atelier romain de pierres à aiguiser (IV). Ucclensia, 234: 14-19. (in French) (“Discovery of a Roman whetstone workshop (IV)”)
Thiébaux, A., & Goemaere, E. 2013, Etude des pierres à aiguiser provenant de cinq sites gallo-romains des Vallées des Eaux-Vives (sud-ouest de la province de Namur, Belgique). Archéo-Situla, 32-33: 69-79. (in French) (“Study of whetstones from five gallo-roman sites from Vallées des Eaux-vives (south-west of the Namur province, Belgium)”). URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2268/171390
Thiébaux, A., & Goemaere, E. in press, Considérations sur quelques éléments en pierre exhumés du site Lazzari (Arlon). In: L’atelier de Foulon du Site Romain de Lazzari à Arlon, (Henrotay, D., Ed.), Service public de Wallonie, Namur. (in French) (“Regards on some lithic artefacts found in Lazzari settlement in Arlon”)
Thiébaux, A., Goemaere, E., & Herbosch, A. 2012, Un atelier gallo-romain de pierres à aiguiser découvert à Buizingen (Hal, Belgique): Reconstitution des étapes de fabrication et détermination des origines géologiques et géographiques du matériau. Revue du Nord, 94(398): 143-158. (in French) (“A gallo-roman whetstones workshop uncovered in Buizingen (Hal, Belgium): Manufacturing process and determination of geological and geographical material origins”). doi:10.3917/rdn.398.0143
Van der Velde, H.M., Ostkamp, S., Veldman, H.A.P., & Wyns, S., (Eds.) 2009, Venlo aan de Maas van vicus tot stad. ADC ArcheoProjecten, Amersfoort, 1094 p. (in Dutch) (“Venlo on the Maas, from the vicus to the town”). URL: https://www.academia.edu/19592787/2009_Venlo_aan_de_Maas._Van_vicus_tot_stad_deel_2_
Verniers, J., Herbosch, A., Vanguestaine, M., Geukens, F., Delcambre, B., Pingot, J.-L., Belanger, I., Hennebert, M., Debacker, M., Sintubin, M., & De Vos, W. 2001, Cambrian-Ordovician-Silurian lithostratigraphic units (Belgium). Geologica Belgica, 4(1-2): 5-38. URL: http://popups.ulg.ac.be/1374-8505/index.php?id=1919
Waterlot, G., Bonte, A., Destombes, J.P., & Lemoine, M. 1960, Renwez. Carte Géologique de la France à 1/50 000, (68). Service de la carte géologique de la France, Paris. (in French) (“Renwez. Geological map of France, 1:50 000, (68)”)
Whitehead, P.F. 1979, Neolithic axes in the south-west Midlands. Vales of Evesham Historical Society Research Papers, 7: 25-30.
Whitehead, P.F. 2013, A pictorial guide to whetstones and related artefacts in Worcestershire during the past 4000 years. Worcestershire record, 34: 28-33. URL: http://www.wbrc.org.uk/WORCRECD/34/Whitehead_Paul--A_pictorial_field_guide_to_whetsto.html
Atkinson, D., (Ed.) 1942, The “finds” in the east portico gutter. In: Report on excavations at Wroxeter (The Roman city of Viroconium) in the county of Salop 1923-1927, Oxford University Press, Oxford: p. 128-130.
Bessac, J.-C. 1987, L’Outillage Traditionnel du Tailleur de Pierre de l’Antiquité à nos Jours. Revue Archéologique de Narbonnaise Vol. 14. Editions du CNRS, Paris, 319 p. (in French) (“Traditional tools of the mason from Antiquity to the present day”)
Brulet, R., Derwet, J.-P., & Vilvorder, F., (Eds.) 2008, Liberchies, vicus gallo-romain. Habitat de la Tannerie et Sanctuaire Tardif: Fouilles du Musée de Nivelles (1996-2003). Publications d’Histoire de l’Art et d’Archéologie de l’Université Catholique de Louvain 112. Presses de l’Université Catholique de Louvain-la-Neuve, Louvain-la-Neuve, 403 p. (in French) (“Liberchies, gallo-roman vicus. Tannery settlement and late sanctuary: Nivelles museum excavations (1996-2003)”)
Chardron-Picault, P., & Pernot, M., (Eds.) 1999, Un Quartier Antique D’Artisanat Métallurgique à Autun (Saône-et-Loire): Le Site du Lycée Militaire. Document d’Archéologie Française 76. Editions de la Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, Paris, 320 p. (in French) (“An ancient metallurgical district in Autun (Saône-et-Loire): The Lycée militaire settlement”)
Deberge, Y., Collis, J., & Dunkley, J., (Eds.) 2007, Le Patûral, Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme. Un Etablissement Agricole Gaulois en Limagne d’Auvergne. Documents d’archéologie en Rhône-Alpes et en Auvergne 30. Association de Liaison pour le Patrimoine et l’Archéologie en Rhône-Alpes et en Auvergne, Lyon, 338 p. (in French) (“Le Patûral, Clermont-Ferrand, Puy-de-Dôme. A gallic agricultural settlement in Limagne d’Auvergne”)
Dreesen, R., Coquelet, C., Creemers, G., Declercq, W., Fronteau, G., Gluhak, T., Hartoch, E., Heinrich, P., Lafitte, J.-D., Picavet, P., Reniere, S., Ruppiene, V., Thiébaux, A., Vanderhoeven, A., Vynckier, G., & Goemaere, E. 2014, Unravelling geographical and geological sources of geological raw materials used as ornamental stones, millstones and whetstones from the Roman period in Belgium: A mutual favourable cross-border collaboration between geologists and archaeologists. Journal of the European Federation of Geologists, 38: 14-20. URL: http://eurogeologists.eu/european-geologist-journal/
Duchêne, B., (Ed.) 2014, Le Châtelet-sur-Sormonne (Ardennes), « Le Tranliau-Lot 1 », une Fenêtre sur l’Histoire du Châtelet-sur-Sormonne (Autoroute A 304): Habitats et Artisanats du Ve Siècle avant notre Ere au XIe de notre Ere, Espaces Funéraires à Crémation et son Etablissement Thermal Antique. Excavations report. Institut national de recherches archéologiques preventives, Metz, 601 p. (in French) (“Le Châtelet-sur-Sormonne (Ardennes), “Le Tranliau-Lot 1”, a window on the history of Le Châtelet-sur-Sormonne (Highway A304): Settlements and crafts from 5th century BCE to 11th century CE, cremation funerary spaces and its ancient thermal bath establishment”)
Fielitz, W., & Mansy, J.-L. 1999, Pre- and synorogenic burial metamorphism in the Ardenne and neighbouring areas (Rhenohercynian zone, central European Variscides. Tectophysics, 309(1): 227-256. doi:10.1016/s0040-1951(99)00141-9
Goemaere, E., (Ed.) 2007, Ardoise et Coticule en Terre de Salm. Des Pierres et des Hommes. Service Géologique de Belgique, Brussels, 408 p. (in French) (“Slate and coticule in the region of Salm. Stones and men”)
Goemaere, E., Demarque, S., Dreesen, R., & Declercq, P.-Y. 2015, The geological and cultural heritage of the Caledonian Stavelot-Venn Massif, Belgium. Geoheritage: 1-23. doi:10.1007/s12371-015-0155-y
Hanut, F., Goemaere, E., Thiébaux, A., & Goffioul, C. 2013, Baelen/Baelen: l’Établissement rural germanique de Nereth. Synthèse de l’étude du mobilier archéologique. Chronique de l’archéologie wallonne, 20: 150-156. (in French) (“Baelen/Baelen: Rural Germanic settlement of Nereth. Study of the archaeological finds”). URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2268/160919
Hanut, F., Goffioul, C., & Goemaere, E. 2012, L’établissement germanique du Bas-Empire à Baelen/Nereth, province de Liège (Belgique). In: The very beginning of Europe? Cultural and social dimensions of Early-Medieval migration and colonisation (5th-8th). Archaeology of contemporary Europe; Proceedings of the conference, May 17-19 2011, Brussels, (Annaert, R., Jacobs, T., In't Ven, I., & Coppens, S., Eds.), Relicta Monografieën 7. Flanders Heritage Agency, Brussels: p. 243-254. (in French) (“Late empire Germanic settlement in Nerteh/Baelen, Liège (Belgique)”). URL: https://oar.onroerenderfgoed.be/publicaties/RELM/7/RELM007-001.pdf
Henrich, P., Mischka, C., & Perret, S. 2008, Die römische Villa mit spätantiker Schmiede von Oberbettingen Hillingweise, Landkreis Vulkaneifel. Funde and Ausgrabungen im Bezirk Trier, 40: 84-94. (in German) (“The Roman villa with a late Empire forge von Oberbettingen Hillingweise, Landkreise Vulkaneifel”)
Herbosch, A., Dumoulin, V., Blockmans, S., & Debacker, S. 2013, Carte Géologique de Wallonie. Ittre-Rebecq n°39/1-2, 1/25000. Service Public de Wallonie, Namur, 114 p. (in French) (“Geological map of Wallonia, Ittre-Rebecq n°39/1-2, 1/25000”)
Kars, H. 1983, Early-Medieval Dorestad, an archaeological study. Berichten van de Rijksdienst voor het Oudheidkundig Bodemonderzoek, 33: 1-37.
Manning, W.H. 1995, Honestones. In: Report on the Excavations at Usk 1965-1976. The Roman Small Finds, (Manning, W.H., Price, J., & Webster, J., Eds.), University of Wales, Cardiff: p. 257-263.
Picavet, P., Fronteau, G., & Boyer, F. 2011, Les meules romaines de sept chefs-lieux de cité de Gaule Belgique occidentale, étude du matériel et synthèse bibliographique. Revue du Nord, 93(393): 167-226. (in French) (“The Roman millstones of seven capitals of western Gallia Belgica, a study of the material and a bibliographical synthesis”). doi:10.3917/rdn.393.0167
Pierrard, J.-M. 2010a, Découverte d’un atelier romain de pierres à aiguiser. Ucclensia, 229: 5-12. (in French) (“Discovery of a Roman whetstone workshop”)
Pierrard, J.-M. 2010b, Découverte d’un atelier romain de pierres à aiguiser (II). Ucclensia, 230: 11-16. (in French) (“Discovery of a Roman whetstone workshop (II)”)
Pierrard, J.-M. 2011a, Découverte d’un atelier romain de pierres à aiguiser (III). Ucclensia, 233: 2-10. (in French) (“Discovery of a Roman whetstone workshop (III)”)
Pierrard, J.-M. 2011b, Découverte d’un atelier romain de pierres à aiguiser (IV). Ucclensia, 234: 14-19. (in French) (“Discovery of a Roman whetstone workshop (IV)”)
Thiébaux, A., & Goemaere, E. 2013, Etude des pierres à aiguiser provenant de cinq sites gallo-romains des Vallées des Eaux-Vives (sud-ouest de la province de Namur, Belgique). Archéo-Situla, 32-33: 69-79. (in French) (“Study of whetstones from five gallo-roman sites from Vallées des Eaux-vives (south-west of the Namur province, Belgium)”). URL: http://hdl.handle.net/2268/171390
Thiébaux, A., & Goemaere, E. in press, Considérations sur quelques éléments en pierre exhumés du site Lazzari (Arlon). In: L’atelier de Foulon du Site Romain de Lazzari à Arlon, (Henrotay, D., Ed.), Service public de Wallonie, Namur. (in French) (“Regards on some lithic artefacts found in Lazzari settlement in Arlon”)
Thiébaux, A., Goemaere, E., & Herbosch, A. 2012, Un atelier gallo-romain de pierres à aiguiser découvert à Buizingen (Hal, Belgique): Reconstitution des étapes de fabrication et détermination des origines géologiques et géographiques du matériau. Revue du Nord, 94(398): 143-158. (in French) (“A gallo-roman whetstones workshop uncovered in Buizingen (Hal, Belgium): Manufacturing process and determination of geological and geographical material origins”). doi:10.3917/rdn.398.0143
Van der Velde, H.M., Ostkamp, S., Veldman, H.A.P., & Wyns, S., (Eds.) 2009, Venlo aan de Maas van vicus tot stad. ADC ArcheoProjecten, Amersfoort, 1094 p. (in Dutch) (“Venlo on the Maas, from the vicus to the town”). URL: https://www.academia.edu/19592787/2009_Venlo_aan_de_Maas._Van_vicus_tot_stad_deel_2_
Verniers, J., Herbosch, A., Vanguestaine, M., Geukens, F., Delcambre, B., Pingot, J.-L., Belanger, I., Hennebert, M., Debacker, M., Sintubin, M., & De Vos, W. 2001, Cambrian-Ordovician-Silurian lithostratigraphic units (Belgium). Geologica Belgica, 4(1-2): 5-38. URL: http://popups.ulg.ac.be/1374-8505/index.php?id=1919
Waterlot, G., Bonte, A., Destombes, J.P., & Lemoine, M. 1960, Renwez. Carte Géologique de la France à 1/50 000, (68). Service de la carte géologique de la France, Paris. (in French) (“Renwez. Geological map of France, 1:50 000, (68)”)
Whitehead, P.F. 1979, Neolithic axes in the south-west Midlands. Vales of Evesham Historical Society Research Papers, 7: 25-30.
Whitehead, P.F. 2013, A pictorial guide to whetstones and related artefacts in Worcestershire during the past 4000 years. Worcestershire record, 34: 28-33. URL: http://www.wbrc.org.uk/WORCRECD/34/Whitehead_Paul--A_pictorial_field_guide_to_whetsto.html
Published
31-Oct-2016
How to Cite
Thiébaux, A., Feller, M., Duchêne, B., & Goemaere, E. (2016). Roman whetstone production in northern Gaul (Belgium and northern France). Journal of Lithic Studies, 3(3), 565-587. https://doi.org/10.2218/jls.v3i3.1672
Issue
Section
Presented at the 1st Meeting of the Association for Ground Stone Tools Research
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