Le massif forestier, objet pertinent pour la recherche archéologique. L'exemple du massif forestier de Haye (Meurthe-et-Moselle)

Forests are areas of high archaeological potential, particularly because of the good preservation of the remains and also because of certain chemical properties of the soil. However, forest cover is a very restraining obstacle for archaeological surveys and has sometimes hindered or even stopped them. Archaeologists now possess new tools, in particular airborne laser (LiDAR) for remote sensing but also interdisciplinary collaborative work, that enable a rediscovery of this major part of the territory, at a new scale. Forest massifs (contiguous forest areas) are a relevant scale to tackle the study of a terroir due to their large surface area, particularly if the land is old enough to have fossilized antique or medieval remains for example. Here, we develop the historical analysis of the Haye forest, situated on the outskirts of Nancy and having a total area of 11600 hectares. It has been the subject of interdisciplinary studies for the last ten years, which allowed the discovery of one of the largest Roman agricultural landscape in France.