Funerary behaviour of Neolithic necropolises and collective graves in France. Evidence from Gurgy «Les Noisats» (Middle Neolithic) and Passy/Veron «La Truie Pendue» (Late Neolithic)

Two dominant burial practices are documented for the French Neolithic (5800-2100 BC)' individual inhumations and collective graves. This change is one of the key issues in understanding burial practices during the Middle to Late Neolithic transition The analysis of two sites from the Paris Basin allows us to discuss this transformation. The first site Gurgy «Les Noisats» (dep Yonne) is a necropolis dating to the Middle Neolithic (4900-4500 BC) mostly composed of single burials The second site Passy/Veron «La Truie Pendue» (dep Yonne) is a collective grave from the Late Neolithic (3360-3098 BC). Comparative analysis between the two sites, combining spatial distribution and palaeodemographical approach, provides no evident exclusion of a specific age class from each funerary process, even if infants were underrepresented. Furthermore particular treatment devoted to children from one to four years old occurred.