Des ressources et des Hommes en montagnes, actes du 142e Congrès national des sociétés historiques et scientifiques, Pau, 2017, 2019
Cette étude sur le bois de construction dans les Alpes du sud s’appuie sur des données récentes i... more Cette étude sur le bois de construction dans les Alpes du sud s’appuie sur des données récentes issues d’un travail de thèse interdisciplinaire. Le bassin versant de la Durance et la Basse Provence, principalement aux xviie et xviiie siècles, servent de cadre à cette étude. Au cours de cette période, le bois a été employé localement par les montagnards, mais également par les militaires dans le cadre des fortifications briançonnaises. La Marine, grosse consommatrice de bois de construction a procédé à plusieurs inventaires des arbres des Alpes du sud et est à l’origine de forts prélèvements dans les forêts de cette région. Les populations civiles ne sont pas en reste puisque les bois de Haute et Moyenne Durance ont été achetés par des marchands et transportés vers les zones situées en aval. La destination de ce bois d’œuvre exporté peut être illustrée par le cas de la ville d’Aix-en-Provence où de nombreuses poutres portent des marques, témoins des échanges entre la montagne et la plaine.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Uploads
Paper by lisa shindo
Many buildings are being restored in the city of Aix-en-Provence, southeastern France and allowed systematic dendrochronological analyses. 144 fir timbers (Abies alba Mill.) were examined and dated between 1303 and 1933. They highlight three felling phases (Medieval period, 17th-18th century, and 19th century). The best documented one corresponds to the 17th-18th centuries and coincides with significant building activity connected to the status of Aix, which is the parliamentary capital of Provence. Around Aix-en-Provence, it is difficult to find timbers with good dimensions. Our results show that timbers were transported from the Alps to Aix's buildings. Potential testimonies of this timber trade have been found, such as raft assemblage marks, and carved signs and letters. A dendroprovenancing case study shows that between 1810 and 1890, some of Aix's timbers could have come from the Northern French Alps or the Verdon-Durance region. Finally, the lack of timbers with good dimension and the difficulties of timber supply contributed to the development of reuse economy and technical innovation. These results are the foundation of a future well-established dendroprovenancing approach in the Southern Alps.
To upload this paper:
http://hal.ird.fr/hal-01344922v1
Many buildings are being restored in the city of Aix-en-Provence, southeastern France and allowed systematic dendrochronological analyses. 144 fir timbers (Abies alba Mill.) were examined and dated between 1303 and 1933. They highlight three felling phases (Medieval period, 17th-18th century, and 19th century). The best documented one corresponds to the 17th-18th centuries and coincides with significant building activity connected to the status of Aix, which is the parliamentary capital of Provence. Around Aix-en-Provence, it is difficult to find timbers with good dimensions. Our results show that timbers were transported from the Alps to Aix's buildings. Potential testimonies of this timber trade have been found, such as raft assemblage marks, and carved signs and letters. A dendroprovenancing case study shows that between 1810 and 1890, some of Aix's timbers could have come from the Northern French Alps or the Verdon-Durance region. Finally, the lack of timbers with good dimension and the difficulties of timber supply contributed to the development of reuse economy and technical innovation. These results are the foundation of a future well-established dendroprovenancing approach in the Southern Alps.
To upload this paper:
http://hal.ird.fr/hal-01344922v1
In the higher altitudes, between 2070-2360 m, the appearance of stone-built structures and perishable materials is attested from about 2500 BC - 400 AD by radiocarbon dating. Only the base of the walls, consisting of clusters of uncut and unbound shale blocks is conserved (F. Mocci, K. Walsh). The material composition of walls and roof of the domestic space – probably constructed in perishable materials – can be understood from anthracological analyses of burnt remains (European larch, stone pine, B. Talon).
On lower altitudes, between 1200-2060 m, we have studied timbers from about 100 archaeological sites (J.-L. Edouard, L. Shindo). The most important buildings are houses with stables for animals in the lower stone floor. The barn is often incorporated in the house as upper floors, mostly made from wood. This lighter material allows to create many openings which helps with hay drying. Several wood building methods were identified: trusses, ‘blockbau’, half-timbering, ceiling with joists, French ceilings. These timbers are made from local species (Scots pine, European larch, fir, stone pine). Two major wood building phases were identified: 10th-14th and 15th-20th centuries AD. The hiatus in the second half of the 14th century could be linked to the historical “disruptions” which had negative consequences on demography.
Stone as the more durable material was used at least for footings from the beginning. Likewise, European larch and stone pine were employed throughout. Therefore, in this mountain area, building materials were utilized depending on local availability and on their properties.
http://www.ac-aix-marseille.fr/cid82437/les-rencontres-scientifiques-enseignants-chercheurs.html
Depuis 1998, un programme de recherche archéologique et environnemental portant sur le peuplement dans les hauts massifs du Parc national des Ecrins et de ses abords, renouvelle la connaissance de l’occupation humaine et de la gestion de l’espace montagnard depuis la Préhistoire jusqu’à l’époque moderne.
Elle sera accompagnée par deux autres chercheuses:
Lisa Shindo (IMBE, CNRS- Aix Marseille Université)
Brigitte Talon (IMBE, CNRS- Aix Marseille Université)
Le nombre de cernes sous l’écorce que possède un arbre indique son âge et dans le cas d'un arbre mort, la date du dernier cerne produit donne sa date d'abattage. En archéologie du bâti, si le dernier cerne d'une poutre est conservé, il permet d’approcher la date de la construction à l’année, voire à la saison près.
Cette discipline méconnue sera présentée en détail et illustrée par les derniers résultats obtenus dans les édifices aixois.
Since about twenty years, thousand dendrochronological samples were collected in old forest stands (mountain and subalpine zone) and in local traditional buildings settled near these forests. The analysis reveals long tree-ring chronologies for the 1300 last years.
These tree-ring series bear witness of very old trees still alive nowadays. The kind of trees diversity in the agro-pastoral building is bring to light (Larix Decidua Mill., Pinus Cembra L., Abies Alba Mill., Pinus Sylvestris L.). These trees, presents in old forests, give evidence of forest areas local use.
The study of timber volumes used in constructions allows to estimate the number of trees necessary for their building at different eras and thus to know the available resource of« belle venue » trees ( trees of good growth).
In those constructions (the earliest witnesses datesd back to the 12s century) it is also possible to render wich part of the tree has been used (according to diameter and lenght compared to the likely height).
These case studies give us informations about forests areas management and provide a less doom-and-gloom image of the farm forestry than the one described in the Mmiddle Aages and modern age textual sources together with reforestation carried out since last the 19s century.
Lastly this interdisciplinarity approach enhances the knowledge on the commercial uses of mountain forests areas for towns buildings and shipbuilding ( which are large timber consumers).
(site internet de l'académie Aix-Marseille)
Organisation : Mickaël Albre
Lundi 12 décembre 2016, mMSH, salle Georges Duby, 14h - 17h
Ces résultats, croisés aux données des sources textuelles ainsi qu’aux données issues des vieux peuplements forestiers, permettent ainsi d’enrichir l’histoire de la ressource forestière et des usages du bois sur une période qui couvre les derniers mille ans dans cette région. Une des originalités de cette étude concerne la variété des constructions analysées (habitats civils, édifices religieux, édifices à fonction agricole et économique...) dont l’édification s’échelonne du XIIème au XIXème siècle.
En partant de l’étude de quelques sites représentatifs, nous aborderons la variété des essences utilisées, le type d’arbre choisi par l’homme, la relative continuité des phases d’abattage et de construction au cours du temps, la diminution du diamètre des troncs au cours du temps, afin d’esquisser l’aspect et l’évolution du couvert forestier et de la ressource qu’il représente, en haute et moyenne Durance ainsi que dans le Mercantour.
Six houses (1620-2061 m a.s.l.) have been sampled. Twenty-eight timbers were made of Pinus t. sylvestris and 18 of Larix decidua. While this region is known for its Larix trees, the predominance of Pinus in these buildings is certainly linked to its availability in the surrounding forests. The oldest timbers (16th c.) come from the houses at the highest altitudes, either because they are older or because they have been less restored. One house, which has not been significantly restored since the 18th century, has been studied in depth. It has 8 levels including 5 levels of wood barn. The barn is mainly composed of Pinus with a chronology covering the period 1530-1731. These Pinus have been dated on a Larix mean chronology and are the only archaeological Pinus dated in the southern French Alps.
Cervières is mentioned from the 12th c. in the texts but the oldest timbers only date from the 16th c. At that time, and more particularly in the 17th-18th c., several barns were built to store large quantities of provisions. This reflects the prosperity of the inhabitants, undoubtedly linked to favourable environmental conditions.