Observations on the ornamental objects

Seven hundred and twenty-two personal ornaments, found in the fort of Saut and the Déboussadou cave (Châteauneuf les Martigues, Bouches du Rhône) and in three of the megalithic monuments (Bounias, Castellet and Source hypogeums) of Fontvieille, Bouche du Rhône, were studied in the present work. We count five categories of ornaments, pendants, beads, ring elements, buttons and plates. The formal analogies of these artifacts with several areas of Europe and in particular with the western Mediterranean area indicate the existence of contacts and exchanges. Traceological studies have shown traces of the last phases of processing and regulation of the surfaces of the piece and also various methods used to perforate the artifacts. The shape of the ornaments and in some cases the traces present, help to define a specific use.