A world definitely warming up: the Mesolithic in the Seine basin

International audience; This paper aims to provide an overview of recent palaeoenvironmental data and archaeological discoveries brought to light in the Seine basin and, more specifically, in Champagne, between 9700 and 5200 cal. BCE, corresponding to the first half of the Holocene and, culturally speaking, on a regional scale, to the Mesolithic. This early part of the Holocene was marked by rising temperatures, leading to successive changes in biotopes. The sea rose by more than 400 feet, completely redrawing coastlines. Steppe gave way to pine and then broadleaf forests. On an archaeological level, the Mesolithic has suffered from the fact that its sites were difficult to detect, probably due to the small size of its flint artefacts. The increasing number of discoveries, coupled with the methodological advances in research on the Mesolithic, has made it possible to renew our knowledge of this pivotal period that precedes the Neolithic “revolution”. In this configuration, the Seine plays a central role but also functions as a cultural boundary. The Aube and Marne departments are marked by rare Mesolithic sites, which we might describe as albeit temporary dwellings. Deep pits discovered in these two departments were probably used for hunting and the storage of edible plants. Graves and other burial places are rare in the Seine basin and are totally absent in the Aube. Preventive archaeology and the excavation of large areas reveal barely anything more than one new burial site a year, as opposed to the hundreds discovered for subsequent periods. Several factors help to explain the absence of burial sites, making the discovery of isolated graves more random, and simply the lack of evidence for alternative funerary practices. Despite this documentary lacuna, the recent development of research into ancient DNA makes it possible to imagine major advances in our understanding of the cultural origins and identities of the Mesolithic people.