First archaeological identification of medieval paring and burning: the Vaudes "Les Trappes" site (Aube)

A preventive excavation was carried out by Inrap at Vaudes " Les Trappes " (Aube) over a surface area of about 8000 m(2) after the discovery of rubefied and blackened features, with the aim to identify if these features were natural or of human origin. Without either domestic or artisanal context, they are similar to features, which are often discovered in archaeological trial trenches and recorded as being tree root hole or tree stump fires. Their important density at Vaudes and the fact that they form a discontinued stratigraphic level over almost 350 m, appear significant in characterising their formation. The excavation and geo-archaeological surveys (stratigraphy, granulometry, elementary analysis, magnetic susceptibility, colorimetry and micromorphology) and palaeo-environmental studies (malacology, anthracology and carpology) confirm that these features are the result of in situ combustion in an open and relatively damp environment. Comparing the results with technical and ethnographic documentation on natural or agricultural fires has led us to interpret them as furnace residues as employed in paring and burning process. They date to the 11th-12th centuries and attest that this method existed well before its first mention in historical documents. This study underlines the necessity of showing greater importance for these somewhat enigmatic features despite the apparent difficulties in characterising them.