Une occupation humaine au Pléistocène inférieur sur la bordure nord du Massif central

The ‘Pont-de-Lavaud’ prehistoric settlement is located on the Eguzon-Chantôme locality (Indre department, France). Several archeological pavements included in the partially cryoturbated bottom of a very high terrace of the Creuse River, were particularly preserved and numerous artefacts of archaic lithic industry were excavated. The age average of the alluvial formation, obtained by Electronic Spin Resonance (ESR) method applied to optical bleaching fluvial quartz, is 1.1 Ma. The ‘Pont-de-Lavaud’ site is contemporary with the early human populating actually recognized in Eurasia during the Lower Pleistocene and is an evidence of a human presence in the middle of France during this period in spite of periglacial climatic oscillations.