Nécropole mérovingienne du Brigandin

About

The Merovingian necropolis of the Brigandin is located in the present commune of Chaumes-en-Retz (delegated commune of Cheméré), in the Loire-Atlantique. It is located near a mill built in the 19th century and still visible today. Known as early as the 19th century, this necropolis has been the subject of several excavation campaigns since 1968 by the state services.

The last search campaign was in 2008. The area of the site is estimated at 7,700 m2, a rectangle of 110 × 70 m. 1,500 m2 were searched and 421 skeletons exhumed.

The tombs studied are attributed in the early Middle Ages, 6th-7th century. It is likely that this cemetery is that of the medieval village of Cheméré. The location of the village of Cheméré for the High Middle Ages is unknown.

If the necropolis of the Brigandin (tombs, funeral practices, furniture) corresponds to what is observed for the West of Gaul at that time, the anthropomorphological study of the population revealed peculiarities.