Cette thèse porte sur la Néolithisation du Nord-Ouest de la France, abordée à travers l’analyse des industries en silex jurassiques de Normandie. Objet de plusieurs influences environnementales et culturelles, cette région essentielle pour comprendre les dynamiques et les comportements socio-économiques de la Néolithisation de l’Ouest se caractérise par un environnement géologique riche en silex d’excellente qualité exploités durant toute la Préhistoire, utilisés ici comme marqueurs de ces comportements et de leur évolution sur la longue durée. L’objectif est de caractériser les productions liées à ces ressources et leur diffusion, de préciser les contextes chronoculturels dans lesquels elles évoluent, en prenant en compte tous les processus de la chaîne opératoire, depuis l’acquisition des matériaux jusqu’à l’abandon des outils. Restituer une vision cohérente de ces processus suppose un protocole qui croise les approches typo-morphologique, technologique et fonctionnelle des industries pour respecter le lien structurel qui existe entre l’économie des matières premières, la gestion des productions et de l’outillage. L’étude sur la longue durée de l’utilisation d’un type de ressources particulières offre un point de vue spécifique sur la Néolithisation de l’Ouest. Les continuités et les ruptures, la permanence ou la disparition de chaînes opératoires, procédés techniques, ou voies de distribution restituent un pan de l’évolution technique et culturelle de ces sociétés néolithiques. L’analyse critique des sites a permis de dépasser l’hétérogénéité de la documentation pour parvenir à ce but. / This thesis addresses the question of the Neolithisation of the Northwest of France, throught the analysis of the industries based on Jurassic flint from the Neolithic sequence in Normandy. Subject of several environmental and cultural influences, this region is essential for understanding the dynamics and socio-economic behaviors in the Neolithisation process. Normandy is characterized by a geological environment with excellent flint sources used throughout Prehistory, used here as markers of these behaviors and their evolution over the long term. The aim is to characterize the productions related to these sources and their distribution, the chronological and cultural sequence in which they operate, taking into account all the processes of chaîne opératoire, from flints procurement to the abandonment contexts. Restore a coherent vision of the process involves a protocol that melts typo-morphological, functional and technological approaches, to meet the structural link between the economies of raw materials, production and tools management. The study on the long-term use of a particular type of resource gives a specific point of view about Neolithisation of the Northwest of France. Continuities and ruptures, permanence or extinction of chaînes opératoires, technical processes and distribution channels restore a piece of technical evolution and cultural significance of the Neolithic societies.

Polished-edge discoidal knives are part of the lithic material culture from the British Isles with an approximate Late Neolithic date. These artefacts are manufactured in three basic shapes: circular to D-shaped, triangular, and broad leaf to lozenge (Clark 1929). The aim of this project was to explore the function of polished-edge discoidal knives. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were completed: Objective 1: Develop a broad understanding of the literature surrounding polished-edge discoidal knives; Objective 2: Develop a database containing all the available information regarding the known knives for study in this project and as a tool to help further research and select archaeological samples for study based on type, condition, find location, and current location; Objective 3: Understand how these tools were used; and Objective 4: Review all data and produce a narrative about polished-edge discoidal knives’ function in Late British Neolithic Society. This project has revealed that these knives were possibility used for activities involving birch bark, clay, or other wood types. This research has also produced a database of knives, a modern distribution map, a revised typology, an archaeological date and possible contexts, and an object itinerary.