With National Science Foundation support Drs James Enloe and Francoise Audouze will conduct archaeological excavations at the site of Verberie which is located in France. It is attributed to the Magdalenian culture which was widespread in Western Europe near the end of the last Ice Age. Magdalenian people at Verberie and at many other similar sites relied heavily on reindeer for subsistence and produced art which is world recognized for its quality. Verberie has been the focus of extended study because of the excellent preservation of faunal remains and for the fact that artifacts have been moved minimally, if at all, from the position in which site occupants left them. For open air sites this is extremely rare. In 2006 a ground penetrating radar survey was conducted and the work is important not only for what it revealed about the site itself but also for broader methodological reasons. While this technique has been widely employed in archaeology, it has been used primarily to search for large and well defined features such as house remains. At sites such as Verberie which were occupied by hunters and gathers, such large scale imprints are lacking and the fact that the remote survey revealed areas of interest is important. With NSF funding provided by this award, the investigators will be able to ground truth through archaeological excavation the indications provided by radar. The results, if positive, will both guide and encourage similar applications at other sites. They will also provide insight into the social organization and subsistence adaptations which allowed such groups to florish is a harsh environment.
The project includes both French and American researchers and will foster archaeological collaboration between these two countries. Funding is also provided to permit US students to participate in the research and thus further their training.
