The Prehistoric site of Ney was discovered in 1878 by Louis Abel Girardot which published the results of its discovery the following year.
The site
Louis Abel Girardot is interested, at the beginning of his career of geologist, with the Reculée S of Balerne and Ney. The first, judged without archaeological interest, is located at the west, between Monnet-the-City and Ney.et the second, in the south-west of the village of Ney. The latter is extended and owes its origin, like that of Balerme, with an action of erosion which, after removal of the Calcaire S superiors, deeply penetrated in the marly layers of the Jurassic ground average. This area also includes the wood of Ney on the road of Ney with Loulle. Work of excavations is in the localities Grande Lady of the manor and Petite Lady of the manor . and more precisely, with the foot of the peak of the Lady of the manor in an archaeological layer of very black ground where are present remains of Poterie S, bones and the remainders of a hearth. Mr. Girardot is helped in his research and his taking away by Mr. François Félicien Paget, of Loulle, which will carry out later on the excavations of the tumulus of Menétrux-in-Joux.
Discoveries
All the objects discovered on the site are preserved at the Museum of Lons-the-Salt maker. He was found:
A small fragment of object out of bronze.
A hatchet of entirely polished stone (euphotide).
A Axe out of bronze.
Five sandstone to be polished or sharpen and a sandstone with aiguiser.
Two strikers in Quarzite.
A percurtor in Flint (chloritoschist) of the Purbeck of the surroundings (Frasnois or Châtelneuf?).
Stones rolled limestones rounded (coming from Saline?)
More than 3000 remains of Pottery S, pertaining to more than 340 different vases, made without the use of the turn, presenting resemblances to those found to Balsam-the-Sirs towards 1865.
Voluntarily fragmented teeth and bones coming from animals (pigs, wild boars, oxen, sheep, goats, horse, stag and dog domesticates)
Fruit remainders: hulls of nipple S, shells of Hazel nut s.
Various objects: Hematite (for red painting of the face or the body), fragments of bracelets in terre.
All these objects characterize a prehistoric site.
Conclusions
This site probably constituted a provisional rock shelter for pastors, who made, at the time, the object of several levellings, and which was to crumble later on. The prehistoric site could be dated from the Bronze Age because of discovered objects in Bronze and Cuivre on the site or in the surroundings, as well as the presence of certain number of Vase S with handles. (In fact, the small quantity of bronze instruments compared to the many polished stone tools found rather locate this site at one intermediate period between the Stone Age and the Bronze Age: the time cébennienne ).
Sources
- Note on the prehistoric site of Ney - Louis Abel Girardot - Bulletin of the Company of emulation of the Jura - 1879.
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