Les ardoises de couverture découvertes en contexte sédimentaire : apports et limites de l’étude à travers l’exemple du château de Suscinio (Bretagne - Sarzeau)

Abstract

The excavation that took place at the castle of Suscinio (Brittany) left us with a great quantity of slates emanating from the roof of the great Seigneurial dwelling dated from the 13th century. Having been levelled in the 16th century, this dwelling offers no elevational clue which would allow us to identify the carpentry and the roofing. Only the discovery of this building material allows us to get information on the Suscinio castle’s roofs. Two discoveries stand out the most: layers corresponding to a construction site dated from the first half of the 14th century, and a consequent embankment of the dwelling, matching the attenuation of the roofing in the early 16th century. 1,710 parts of slates have been sampled, cleansed, and inventoried. The study has then been supplemented by consulting the written sources that mention the regular work done on the roofing since the 16th century.