SETTLEMENTS AND CHAMBERED TOMBS IN NEOLITHIC FRANCE

Summary. Chambered tombs of megalithic or dry-stone construction are a leading element in the archaeological record of Neolithic France, but appear to have been associated with only small, insubstantial settlement sites. This point is illustrated by reference to evidence from West-Central France, the Paris Basin, Southern France and Brittany. The tombs seem to have played an important rôle in the articulation of dispersed communities, particularly during periods when new land was being colonised. These findings suggest certain modifications to recent ideas about the origin and functions of the West European chambered tombs.