Fuel for Bell Manufacturing in the Middle Ages: The Example of Sainte-Marie Cathedral in Nice (Alpes Maritimes, France)

作者：Gillot Isabelle^*; Damotte Lise; Bouiron Marc; Delhon Claire

来源：ArcheoSciences-Revue d Archeometrie, 2014, (38): 73-85.

DOI：10.4000/archeosciences.4160

• Charcoal analysis
• Middle Ages
• bell manufacturing
• environment
• firewood

In the Middle Ages, bells were usually cast in clay moulds fired in pits excavated inside churches or nearby. %26lt;br%26gt;Fragments of such moulds are often studied to determine the size of the bells and possible inscriptions or decorations, but only rarely these pits have been examined for the presence of anthracological material (charcoal). %26lt;br%26gt;Thanks to the Collective Research Programme underway on the site %26quot;la colline du Chateau%26quot; overlooking the city in Nice (Southern France), we were able to collect fragments of charcoal from two bell pits found in the nave of the mediaeval cathedral. %26lt;br%26gt;The results of anthracological analysis provided information on the environmental context, the origin of the wood used for making bells and technical aspects of casting mediaeval bells. %26lt;br%26gt;Most of the charcoal remains were from strawberry tree (arbutus), in association with deciduous oak, poplar/willow and sclerophyllous oak. A very high biodiversity was found, however, suggesting the exploitation of a wide range of plant formations, mainly Mediterranean, represented by a mixed-oak woodland and the riparian forests.

• 出版日期2014