Inventory and assessment of geoarchaeosites in the Middle Eure Valley (Paris Basin, France): An integrated approach to geoarchaeological heritage

Abstract

For the last decade, there has been an abundance of scattered case studies on geoarchaeological heritage in the scientific literature. Yet, there is a lack of methodological guidelines to inventory and numerically assess a collection of “geoarchaeosites” for heritage conservation and/or tourism purposes. The aim of this paper is to propose an innovative and integrated methodology for the inventory and assessment of geoarchaeological heritage, with an example of application in the Middle Eure Valley (Paris Basin, France). In this work, we suggest the use of the “geoarchaeosite” concept as a contraction of geoarchaeological sites, i.e., sites of particular relevance in understanding past society-environment interactions at the Quaternary or historical time scale. In our approach, archaeological and geomorphological components of a site have the same level of importance, in contrast to the classical approaches on geomorphosites that consider the cultural, archaeological, and/or historical significance of a site as an “additional” value. In the study area, the results provide a selection of 19 geoarchaeosites with contrasted scientific values, ranging from sites of national (fossiliferous site of Saint-Prest, loess-paleosol sequence of Chaudon) and regional rank (Chartres Cathedral and its historical quarry at Berchères-les-Pierres, French Royal Canal Louis XIV-Aqueduct of Maintenon, Megaliths of Changé at Saint-Piat and Eure palaeochannels) to more confidential sites of local interest, with various degrees of vulnerability and potential use. A network analysis of “disconnected geoarchaeosites” according to spatial, chronological, and functional relationships contributes to improving the overall scientific value of the geoarchaeological heritage. Among the prospects that are emerging in the scope of promotional activities, comes the interest of building a digital geoarchaeoheritage platform with a collaborative/participatory aim in order to reinforce heritage ownership by local residents and stakeholders.