Engaging the intranatural at the source of the Douix (Côte-d'Or, France): objects, communication, and ritual in a fluid environment

Abstract

How are objects used to communicate with the intranatural? The Source of the Douix, a freshwater spring in France, is an ideal site for addressing this question due to the quantities of offerings recovered. Evidence exists for ritual deposits beginning in the Hallstatt period (800-400 B.C.) with nearly continuous use into modern times. This analysis focuses on the diverse objects from the Gallo-Roman Period (50 B.C.-A.D. 450). The results of multiple levels of statistical and spatial analyses between the Douix material and other similar sites are used to address how objects were used for communication with the intranatural during the Gallo-Roman Period. Examining the entire Douix assemblage illustrates how changes through time are expressed materially and how new perceptions or use of the site corresponds to this material evidence. These differences, when examined thoroughly, can provide greater insight into the use of objects as devices for communication with the intranatural. Data accessible through: http://hdl.handle.net/11299/167932.