Commensality Through a Solar Cult. Ceramics, Social Practices and Symbolism Along the Atlantic Coast (2500-1650 BC)

Résumé En

The Bell Beaker phenomenon is characterised by new forms of ritual practices especially known through the studyof Bell Beaker graves. These contexts are linked to the representation of individuals who represent elites of those Neolithicsocieties. Within the complex chiefdoms of the Early Bronze Age, social practices seem to acquire a collective dimension fromwhich new social behaviours emerge. By extension, many domestic ceramic sets display particular organisations related tomeaningful gestures and practices. At this time, the ceramic artefact itself is renewed in terms of forms and ornamentations. Asignificant number of vessels are associated with multiple handles, allowing more complex social interactions. New decorativeschemes can be interpreted as astral (solar and lunar) representations. In Atlantic France, these representations undergo amajor development during the Bronze Age and seem closely linked to ritual and social practices. They carry major symbolicfeatures and the organisation of the scenery, linked to the relationship maintained between the user and the assistants, probablyplays a major role in these collective events. This article will be the occasion to discuss the evolution of these practices, duringparticular and meaningful occasions but also in daily activities.