The example in detection

Olivier prospects since three-four time years approximately. Since it started, passion never left it, only the lack of time is missing to him. It did not suspect that with its GTA 500 it was going to interest of the archaeologists one day... by a discovery made in the metal detector. If Olivier with joined our association as of the whole beginning, it were to detect differently; to show that this leisure, when one is honest can bring much and enrich our knowledge...

Having one afternoon to kill (as he says itself) he sought a field where he could prospect. Only, each time the farmers were only tenants of the grounds. At the end of the sixth or seventh field, it found owners who accepted nicely. As soon as in the field, the AWG 500 emits beautiful sounds evoking hope, it digs but they are only balls and cartridges of the last war. Persevering Olivier continuous: other sounds are made hear throughout afternoon and each time, they are reliefs of ammunition of the last war which it unearths. He starts to be accustomed to this his long characteristic of a casing with his projectile when suddenly, by not believing his eyes, he puts at the day an axe with casing. While passing by again in the hole, it notes that Garret still sounds. It digs again comes out another axe and sees two others of them very large. It realizes that it has just found what one calls a deposit of axes with casing. At once it stops any earthwork in order to preserve the archaeological layers (if there is, will say to us later it). Here is a reflex of which numbers prospectors would make well make Ecole when they discover gathered objects or in batches. **time-out** without same widen the hole (it that some other have do, it be very conscious of importance of its discovery) it call the Association with 01.30.47.41.42 and me indicate that it like make known connaître the discovery with archaeologist of its area... I him answer that it there have no problem and that the Association be there for that (see voir page 2). After a short very friendly archaeological contact, we decide on an appointment, which finally will be pushed back three times for incompatibility of planning. I thus went the first time with Loïc one day of week on the spot, Olivier had made us a plan strong just " site " and it is at the end of small half an hour of prospection that we discover the first axe. At the end of the afternoon, we added up of them twelve including two grosses, four in the hole that Olivier and eight around (with less than 1,50 m). we had made should all the same specify that without the 6000 DI of white' S, we would have missed four of them, this detector having a mode allowing the nonferrous target detection beside a ferrous ore (for information).

A second go barrel taken for a more complete excavation in order to determine if an archaeological context could be highlighted. Olivier who had just found a new use in interim could not go there to his great despair (one wants to believe it well). This time, a bulldozer must " pickle " a surface of 10 m out of 10 m and every ten centimetres, a passage of the detector will be carried out in order to not lose any witnesses of this time. With this intention, the 6000 DI is regulated on the position " Hot-rock'n'rolls accept " which makes it possible to detect a mineral-bearing pottery. A fragment of pottery can be very interesting for a precise dating. On the level of the contact with the archaeologists, very happened very well, here what they taught us and why this discovery is significant and deserved to be brought to our attention:

THE AGE OF BRONZE:

The development of the metallurgy of copper (or Chalcolithique) in Normandy during the II 2nd millenium before our era, is accompanied by a major evolution of the Neolithic cultural traditions (- 10 000, with - 2 000 front. J.C.).

One perceives it in particular in a particular ceramic style to which muds " in the shape of bell " gave their name: the campaniform one. The recent discoveries relating to this context, carried out in the valley of the Seine are particularly rich of teaching. This stage differs from the true Age of the Bronze which one makes go up at the beginning of the II 2nd millenium front. J.C., time from which is controlled the technique of the alloy copper-tin, and where one finds the oldest vestiges metal of Bessin which is a whole of daggers and axes probably coming from a burial. It is indeed one of the characteristics of the Age of the old Bronze which to see spreading the practice consisting in burying deaths accompanied by a funerary movable rich person in an individual burial covered with a circular ground tumulus. In fact, only some privileged individuals are entitled to this homage paid by the community. The gathering of metal objects abandoned in the form of a deposit buried in a pit without any apparent archaeological context (not of trace of fires, habitats, etc) is also one of the characteristics of the Age of Bronze. They are numerous in Bessin. The interpretation of this phenomenon is difficult. They are votive deposits, of reserves

THE AGE OF IRON:

The last objects testifying to the traditions inherited the Age Bronze are the axes with casing known as " Armorican " because they are found gathered per hundreds in deposits on the whole of the Armorican solid mass. The deposit discovered with Vaux on Aure in 1875, in is a good example. The axes of Quettreville are they also characteristic of these contemporary late productions of the first objects out of iron. The oldest vestiges testifying to the introduction of iron into Bessin go only back to the VI 2nd century front. J.C. but it acts of fragments of objects of which the state of corrosion allowed neither the identification, nor conservation. FROM the IV 2nd century before J.C., Celtes and Gallic starts to be quoted by the gréco-Romans authors. The second Age of Iron or time of Tène, corresponds to this most recent phase of prehistory. During a few centuries which precede the Roman conquest, one can finally properly speak about Gallic, which is identified in these innumerable Celtes tribes which constitute Gaule and whose names reached us. One can quote in the Apple-brandy Baïocasses in the west in the area of Bayeux, Viducasses in the center, around Vieux and Lexovii in the east, in the area of Lisieux.

CONCLUSION:

This discovery made in the area of Quettreville will make it possible, after study, to know some a little more on the past of our area. Thus a comparison of the axes discovered by Olivier and those in collection in the various museums of the area will be rich information. Then the simple study of the metal run-outs on the level of the joints of the two mussels which left their traces on the axes as they were cast will make it possible to know if they come from a same mussel or not. One could easily think that with this discovery one can highlight the probable existence of a large site of mass production of these axes in the surroundings. But for the moment that remains a tempting assumption which will be checked perhaps in the future. The vestiges not renewing itself and each discovery being a destruction, each document becomes essential. The excellent idea that had Olivier not not to stir up the ground too much will have enabled us to take these axes in their context. Any discovery must be announced most quickly, to make it possible to the scientists to collect the fruits of them.