In Beauregard, archaeologists are uncovering Neolithic secrets in Marsa Cave, revealing connections between Mediterranean and Atlantic cultures and possible burial practices.
Archaeological team explores Marsa Cave
In the village of Beauregard, east of the Lot, an archaeological team is investigating a concrete pipe leading to the Marsa Cave, a Neolithic site sealed around 2000 BCE. The cave was first excavated in 1957 by Abbé Antoine Galan, a cleric and archaeologist, who found evidence of three major periods of occupation.Resuming past research
Vincent Ard, a CNRS research scientist, is leading a team resuming Galan's work, sifting through debris from the 1950s to uncover previously unnoticed elements. The cave was found to have occupation periods dating back to -3300 BCE with ceramics and flint, followed by an abandonment period, and then occupation again around -2200 BCE with copper, bone objects, and possibly burials.Dolmens in the Quercy region
The Quercy region is home to approximately 800 dolmens, with an estimated 3000 to 4000 across central southern France, representing the highest density of dolmens in Europe. These megaliths, smaller and more recent than those in Brittany, suggest a broader use of funerary monuments by larger populations.Geophysical survey reveals Neolithic village
To locate Neolithic villages, Ard initiated a geophysical survey in 2025 near the Marsa Cave, which detected traces of a palisade or moat. In May 2026, the team uncovered a human-made area with post holes, suggesting a palisade surrounding a possible village. A nearby doline, useful for livestock, was also identified.Evidence of food storage and cultural exchange
The team excavated nearly 50 tonnes of earth, stones, and archaeological material from Galan's debris, uncovering remains of fauna and seeds indicating the cave was used for food storage. Ceramics found on site show influences from both Mediterranean and Atlantic cultures, suggesting the Quercy was an intermediate region with connections to both areas.Caves as burial and decomposition sites
Flints and bone ornaments may have had funerary functions, as the cave might have been used for burials. Ana Arzelier, a paleogeneticist, suggests caves might have served as "putrefiers" where the dead decomposed before their bones were placed in dolmens.Nearby cave reveals burial and trade evidence
Nearby, the Foissac cave in Aveyron was also used as a burial site, with 40 individuals found. Traces of seeds, meats, and sea fish indicate commercial exchanges. The cave also contains fingerprints and the footprints of a six-month-old baby.Genetic findings from Foissac cave
DNA analysis of individuals from Foissac showed no genetic links among them, but two men belonged to the "G2" paternal lineage common in Western Europe during the Middle Neolithic. This lineage was later replaced by "R1b" from the Yamnaya nomads, who migrated westward from the Pontic steppes. However, no genetic traces of Yamnaya were found in the Foissac individuals, indicating no interbreeding had occurred yet.
