A forties appeared, Friday, January 13, before the Chambéry Criminal Court, for facts of archaeological looting in the second largest lake in Savoy, recognized as one of the 111 prehistoric palafittic sites around the Alps.
by Fanny Hardy (Lyon, Correspondence)
Every day, Sébastien B. advances to his private pontoon overlooking Lake Aiguebelette, west of the Savoy department. He jumps into one of his two boats, and he sails on this 5.45 km water range 2 sup>: “I specialized in Lavaret fishing” since March 2015, even If “it’s not at all my thing”.
At the bar of the Chambéry Criminal Court, Friday, January 13, the 46-year-old man appears for “theft of classified or registered movable objects”, “usual concealment of goods from a flight”, ” Declaration of fortuitous archaeological discoveries “and” use without authorization of a metal detector for historical or archaeological research “. All between February 2014 and February 2020.
The president of the court, Aude Favoulet, lists what was found at his home on February 20, 2020, during a search: rings, medals, arrow points, drawings and hammer, A gateway, pottery, an opaline stone, a sword, the piece of a belt loop, coins – “more than a thousand” – two teeth, bells, a sickle, small jars in Iron … “An extremely large number of seals, with almost exclusively metallic furniture, small everyday objects in copper iron, dating from antiquity to modern times.” Others also from the Bronze Age , like a batch of arrow tips.
Beyond being an emerald jewel, Lake Aiguebelette, near which Sébastien B. lives, is one of the 111 prehistoric palafittic sites around the Alps recognized by UNESCO. France has eleven, mostly in Savoy and Haute-Savoie. Lake Aiguebelette owes this recognition to two palafittic zones in its depths, classified as French Historic Monuments, one having in addition been listed as World Heritage in 2011. Traces of this Neolithic life on stilts , at the end of prehistory, are present, with many piles, for many damaged by human activity, and varied lithic furniture.
“public rumor”
The investigation, of course, has rapprochement. Eleven circular cups illegally dug forty centimeters in diameter approximately had been noted at the bottom of the lake, the “public rumor” had directed the site guards to Sébastien B., passionate about archaeological research, very well equipped and regularly observed navigating on the lake. On the Internet, he was Hannibal73, spoke a lot and published photos of his finds. “During my research, he says, I came across a whole bunch of objects that seemed incredible to me. Small swords, knives, incredible things. On a forum, I asked:” That ‘Do we do these objects? “I did not retain the possibility of re-entrust them, nor to put them in the recycling center. I could not do that, I had love for these objects . “
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