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Des prospections subaquatiques menées dans la Charente, sur le site de Taillebourg – Port d’Envaux (17), ont révélé la présence de nombreux témoins d’activités liés au fleuve Charente, datés principalement des périodes mérovingienne et carolingienne. Parmi l’abondant mobilier découvert figure un lot d’objets en plomb.Ces plombs ont été trouvés dans un contexte de pratiques halieutiques. Les premières interprétations les définissent comme des lests d’engins de pêche. La découverte d’un tel corpus est déjà en soi un fait intéressant. En effet, la facilité de recyclage de ce matériau de plaide pas pour sa conservation. L’étude de ce matériel a porté à la fois sur la définition de leur typologie et une première interprétation de leur fonction. En plus des méthodes de classement habituellement utilisées, une approche expérimentale a été menée pour mieux appréhender les techniques de mise en forme utilisées. Des analyses de surface par fluorescence X ont pu être également réalisées. Enfin, le contexte chronologique plaçant cette collection au haut Moyen Âge et la découverte de ce matériel dans la zone d’influence de l’atelier monétaire de Melle nous ont conduit à poser la question de l’origine du plomb métal. Pour répondre à cette interrogation, une série d’analyses isotopique du plomb a été réalisée à partir de la série des plombs naviformes. Subaquaeous surveys carried out in the Charente, on the site Taillebourg – Port Envaux (dept. Charente-Maritime, France) revealed the presence of many evidences in activities related to river Charente, dating mainly from Merovingian and Carolingian periods. A lot of lead objects is found among the abundant furniture.These leads were found in a context of fishing practices. The first interpretations defined as fishing gear. The discovery of such a corpus is itself an interesting fact. Indeed, the tendency of recycling this material does not plead for its preservation. The study of these sinkers has focused both on the definition of their type and initial interpretation of their function. In addition to classified methods usually used, an experimental approach was undertaken to better understand the techniques of production. Surface analysis by X-ray fluorescence were also performed. Finally, the historical context, placing the collection in the High Middle Ages and the discovery of this material in the zone of influence of the mint of Melle led us to the question of the origin of lead metal. To answer this question, a series of lead isotope analysis was carried out from the series of boat-form leads.

International audience

International audience; Stachys glutinosa {Labiatae) is an endemic species from Corsica and Sardinia. To the best of our knowledge, essential oil analysis of this species is being reported here for the first time. We have investigated the chemical composition of some essential oils of this plant by GC (quantification) and Carbon-13 NMR (identification), this technique being well suited for chemical variability studies. This work allowed to display noticeable variations of the chemical composition of the essential oil of Stachys glutinosa. However, we couldn't define chemotypes. The main constituents are -pinene, -phellandrene. -terpinene, trans-caryophyllene, terpineol-4, -terpineol and -terpinyl acetate.

International audience; The genus Cistus includes a great number of species from which the most employed in the Perfumes and Cosmetics industry is Cistus ladaniferus. It is a odorous, slimy, one or two meters high shrub, which is present in several areas aIl around the Mediterranean sea. In France it has been observed in Provence. Some experiences of fanning have been done in Corsica. In October 1989, fifty clones of Cistus ladaniferus. have been cultivated in the east coast of Corsica. Some of the plants have been collected and hydrodistilled on a Clevenger type apparatus. This study allowed the comparison of the yields (0,16-0,41% w/w calculated from fresh vegetal material) and the chemical composition of the essential oils. The identification of the main components has been achieved by GC/KI (polar and apolar columns) and by Carbon-13 NMR spectroscopy (computer aided comparison of the resonances of the mixture spectrum with those of pure compounds present in a home-built library. The observed differences could be useful to allow the selection of the clones in order to improve an industrial farming.