Reconsidering the Chaîne Opératoire: At the Crossroad Between People and Materials

Abstract

This article is an introductory contribution to our Special IssueReconsidering the Chaîne Opératoire: Towards a Multifaceted Approach to the Archaeology of Techniques. Thechaîne opératoireis a central and fundamental concept for archaeological studies that has been fully appropriated and repurposed by several generations of researchers. In this paper, we would like to present some of the points discussed and illustrated by the various articles in this special issue. The aim is to highlight theoretical and practical considerations in various fields, with a diachronic focus. From the biographical approach to the study of artefacts to the challenges of interdisciplinarity through cognitive and sensory approaches, the theoretical discussion is rich and innovative, acknowledging that thechaîne opératoirecan be used as a tool for deciphering the complex network of artefacts, environments, and societies of the past and present.

The Levantine Megalithic Building Techniques: A Groundbreaking Method Applied to Menjez’s Monuments (Akkar, Lebanon) from the 4th–3rd Millennium BCE

“…This includes various modifications, additions, and destructions visible in the stratigraphic sequence of the structure and occurring once the initial architectural project is completed (Laporte, 2010). As pointed out by Gouézin (2022, p.10), in many cases, megalithic monuments are the result of a complexity of architectural projects, reflecting distinct building techniques and motivations (Laporte et al, 2021;Linares-Catela, 2021Porqueddu et al, 2023).…”