Abstract :
[en] In the surroundings of the hamlet of Becco (Theux, province of Liège , Belgium), the sites of "La Heid de Fer" and 'L'Ourlaine" are known to have supplied lithic materials assigned to the Early Mesolithic (pre-Boreal). Located a the top a small cliff formed by sandstones and siltstones belonging to the Esneux Formation (Devonian, Famennian), "La Heid de Fer" station overlooks a steep slope developed in the shales and siltstones belonging to Lambermont and Hodimont Formations (Upper Devonian, Famennian), within which occurs an oolitic hematite level reaching several decimeters thick (0.5 m maximum). As suggested by the particular topography of these two sites, further investigations should be conducted in this area in search of other traces of the microlithic industry.
[fr] A proximité du hameau de Becco (province de Liège, Belgique), les sites de la Heid de Fer et de l'Ourlaine sont connus pour avoir livré de l'outillage et des déchets de taille attribués au Mésolithique ancien (pré-Boréal). Située au sommet d'une petite falaise constituée par des grès et des siltites famenniens appartenant à la Formation d'Esneux, la station de la Heid de Fer domine un versant abrupt développé dans les shales et les siltites des formations de Lambermont et d'Hodimont (Dévonien supérieur, Famennien), au sein desquels se rencontre un niveau d'hématite oolithique atteignant plusieurs décimètres d'épaisseur (0,5m au maximum). Des fouilles supplémentaires mériteraient d'être conduites dans cette région à la recherche d'autres témoins de l'industrie microlithique, comme le suggère la topographie particulière de ces deux sites.
Commentary :
The use of natural resources is a major source of information to study the socio-economic organization of the population from Prehistory to Antiquity, due to the fact that their exchange networks and behaviors changed together with their lifestyles and know-how. If flint or other materials such as shale have been extensively studied, haematite, and particularly the oolitic haematite, remains hardly investigated as a material in terms of its origin and technical methods of utilization. The mesolithic sites of "L'Ourlaine" and the "Heid de Fer" (Becco, Theux, southern Belgium) are very close to an important Famennian (Upper Devonian) oolitic haematite outcrop
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