A large Bronze Age settlement has been discovered in France.

Excavations conducted by theInstitut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap) at Onnaing, in France’s Escaut Valley, have uncovered a remarkably large rural site inhabited between the end of theBronze Age and the beginning of theIron Age. The high concentration of remains and the richness of the discoveries offer a picture of Protohistory in northern France. Research has revealed a settlement spanning several centuries, from the Final Bronze Age, between the 12th and 10th centuries BC, to the beginning of the Iron Age, around the 7th century BC. The continuity is evidenced by a remarkable concentration of structures and artifacts over an area of more than three hectares. Never before has such an extensive site been unearthed in the Hauts-de-France region.

Among the remains identified, some 20 buildings have been recognized. Some present a rectangular plan that can reach 25 meters in length, with an apsidal end. Similar dimensions suggest constructions intended for collective or specialized activities. Alongside these imposing buildings, more modest structures have been found scattered in the surroundings, testifying to secondary settlements related to daily life and craft activities.

The presence of large pits and hearths indicate that the site was a center of numerous activities. Archaeologists have found evidence of spinning and weaving, metalworking, and food storage. Among the most unusual discoveries is an exceptionally preserved wooden chest dating back to the early Iron Age. The square structure, measuring 45 centimeters on each side, raises numerous questions. The vertical walls, joined by very rare metal elements, suggest a specific use that is still unknown. The contents of the artifact remain obscure, but its excellent state of preservation opens new perspectives for the study of storage practices or possible rituals related to that period.

Furnaces and hearths with enigmatic functioning

Archaeologists have identified several burning structures, some of which are of particular interest because of their shape and arrangement. Inside the buildings, circular hearth-pits, more than a meter in diameter, show layers of combustion residue, including baked clay blocks and traces of charcoal.

Other structures, rectangular and more elongated (0.8 meters by 3 meters on average), are found systematically along the walls of the buildings. An additional type of hearth was found in a large repurposed silo, where a thick, well-fired soil suggests intense thermal activity. The structures were used for cooking food, making pottery, or probably for other functions. Ongoing analyses and experiments will help clarify their use.

A central site in the Protohistory of the Valenciennois

The importance of the discovery goes beyond the local context. The concentration of structures and their organization suggest that this settlement may have played a central role within a larger network of settlements. Other excavations conducted in the region had already revealed the presence of protohistoric villages, but never with such a density of structures.

It remains to be understood what the precise role of the site was: was it a center of production and exchange? Of a settlement with a defensive function? Or of a village with a particular social status? The new discoveries enrich our knowledge of protohistoric societies in northern France.

A large Bronze Age settlement has been discovered in France.

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