Master
English

A Combined Method Study of Middle Neolithic Cremation and Funerary Practices in Dolmen A, Cairn of Goasseac’h, Brittany, France

Number of pages83
Master program titleMaster thesis in Prehistoric Archaeology
Handover date2025-09-01
Abstract

The hill of Goasseac’h is situated in the municipality of Carhaix-Plouger, in central Brittany, at the border of the Finistère, Côtes-d’Armor, and Morbihan departments. Although the mound has been known since the 19th century, systematic archaeological investigation was only initiated in 2019, following a collaborative decision by Florian Cousseau, the operations manager, and the Regional Archaeology Service. Excavations have been conducted annually since 2020. Central Brittany was long considered to lack large Middle Neolithic monuments, which immediately drew scholarly attention to Goasseac’h as one of the few sites of this scale in the region. Its exceptional preservation of burial spaces within megalithic architecture makes it particularly valuable, offering rare evidence for the emergence and diversity of funerary practices. More broadly, Northwest France is distinctive for its early monumental traditions that predate and lead into megalith construction, and within this context the cairn of Goasseac’h provides new insights that refine our understanding of Brittany and contribute to wider discussions of early European megalithic tradition (Schulz Paulsson 2019; Cousseau et al. 2024). This thesis brings together multiple approaches in order to shed light on the funerary practices of Dolmen A. It combines anthropological analysis of the cremated human remains with spatial analysis of the distribution of bones and associated funerary objects, while also drawing on comparative data from other sites. By integrating these perspectives, the study not only seeks to reconstruct the specific funerary practices that took place within Dolmen A, but also to understand how the internal organization of the monument reflects these practices. Ultimately, this dual focus allows the dolmen to be situated within the broader framework of Middle Neolithic funerary traditions in Brittany, providing both a site-specific interpretation and a wider cultural context.

Keywords
  • Europe
  • Préhistoire
  • Archéologie
  • Néolithique
  • France
  • Bretagne
  • Mégalithisme
  • Sépulture
  • Crémation
  • Nécropole
  • Bioanthropologie
  • Anthropologie
Citation (ISO format)
BRANCIC, Anastasija. A Combined Method Study of Middle Neolithic Cremation and Funerary Practices in Dolmen A, Cairn of Goasseac’h, Brittany, France. Master, 2025.
Main files (1)
Master thesis
accessLevelRestricted
Identifiers
  • PID : unige:188104
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Creation03/10/2025 16:20:32
First validation06/10/2025 09:34:02
Update time06/10/2025 09:34:02
Status update06/10/2025 09:34:02
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