A Neolithic settlement discovered in marshes in northeast France has “no equivalent” in Europe, according to archaeologists.
The settlement at the vast site of Marais de Saint-Gond was uncovered by archaeologists working with France’s national center for scientific research (CNRS), along with an abundance of objects that give further insight into life 3,500 years ago, local news outlet RFI reported.
Researchers have been working toward uncovering the site ever since flints were discovered there 150 years ago.
“This is the last piece of the jigsaw we were missing,” said CNRS researcher Remi Martineau, as reported by RFI.
A stock photo shows the remains of a Neolithic village in Scotland. A huge settlement from the same era has been discovered in France.
Alan Majchrowicz/Getty
Along with the remains of the ancient settlement, archaeologists found 15 flint mines over an area of 450 hectares (1112 acres) and 135 hypogeum, or underground chambers. They also found five stone alleyways, wells and polishers for axes.
The village will tell archaeologists a great deal about the “economic, societal and territorial organization of the Neolithic,” Martineau said.
He added that there is no site like it in the rest of Europe, RFI reported, making it an exceptionally rare discovery.
“The site was completely structured,” Martineau said. “The foundations of our society are already there.”
In the remains of the village, archaeologists discovered a small oval object made of nacre, also known as mother of pearl. Pierced with two holes in the center it is a likely ancestor of the button, and has been dated to 3,400 to 3,300 years ago.
The incredibly well-preserved object indicates to archaeologists that more intact objects and buildings are yet to be discovered.
The CNRS started work on the site 20 years ago, although archaeologists had been studying the area and looking for the village for a century and a half.
The research project that eventually unearthed the village involved 50 people from France and abroad and 20 excavators, including archaeology students.
The village was discovered when a ditch for the installation of a palisade was identified in the commune of Val-des-Marais, 136 km from Paris.
The Neolithic period, also known as the New Stone Age, was the final stretch of the Stone Age in Europe and saw the beginnings of agriculture. Hunter-gatherers transitioned to living in villages and a more structured way of life became the norm with new societies emerging that had temples, priests and powerful leaders.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about the Neolithic period? Let us know via [email protected].