Un établissement agricole du xiiie siècle à Beaumont, lieu-dit La Mouraude (Puy-de-Dôme)

Abstract

The creation of storm culverts in the southern outskirts of Clermont-Ferrand provided the opportunity of organising a rescue operation on an area of over 4 000 m2. Most of the discoveries concern an establishment occupied during the 13th century, comprising four stone built buildings and an enclosure inside of which around forty silos have been located. These figures are to be considered with caution however, as part of the site, on the eastern side in particular, has not been excavated. The building I is well preserved. The five roomed edifice, for which three building phases have been recognised, clearly constitutes a single habitation unit. The main room was closed by a large bolted door. Built during the penultimate phase, one room was provided with a complex hearth, perhaps associated with a drying or smoking system. The three other buildings are not so well preserved and have benefited from more succinct investigations. The status of the establishment is difficult to define. It would seem that animal husbandry – mainly bovines – or even herds of cattle, was carried out at the La Mourade site. The nature of the bone remains suggests that slaughtering was carried out on the site itself. The establishment was also doubtlessly turned towards the conservation and processing of crops, as is indicated by the discovery of several large millstones and the amount of silos recorded.