Souterrains, known for unexpectedly appearing due to collapse, are also witnesses to a distant past. These are not simple cellars or large extraction galleries, but a category of cavities quite apart. Today there are at least 1,600 of them among thousands of others, not yet discovered or disappeared forever. In the middle of the 18^th century, these unusual underground structures aroused the curiosity of some scientists. From the following century, a handful of scholars show that most of them are in fact underground shelters dug by rural populations to protect themselves during times of insecurity. Some of these pioneers insist on the ...

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Thanks to 25 years of investigation, we are able to present the first synthesis about underground refuges (souterrains-refuges) and ring underground passages (souterrains annulaires) discovered in Vendée (region of La Roche-sur-Yon). The first part is about 10 sites studied in this region. The second part concerns vital facilities and defense systems dug into the rock. This part also introduces some legends collected about those cavities. The book is an accomplished study with maps of the location of the underground cavities, statistics, and detailed synthesis of each type ...

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During troubled periods, all around the world, people dug underground passages ...

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A complete panorama of cave dwellings in the south-west of France (in the region of Bordeaux, Agen, Périgueux, Angoulême and Cognac) After a presentation of the geological history of this area, thanks to detailed researches in unknown sites, the author tried to make a reconstruction of the everyday life of the men who used to or still work or live in cave dwellings, quarries, underground refuges or mushroom beds. The author studied also the ancient graffiti found in the underground quarries.

Illustrated by new photographs, the main chapters are about geology, underground ...

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A new synthesis of underground passages [underground refuges (souterrains-refuges) and ring underground passages(souterrains annulaires)] discovered in the regions of Poitiers and Niort. The first part is about 11 new sites studied in these regions. The second part concerns their building and some testimonies. The book is an accomplished study with maps of the location of the underground passages, statistics, and detailed synthesis of each type of building, using a list of plans of all known French underground passages and also a lot of publications about this French region.

On account of ...

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The book tries to link up all conventional wisdom, digging and use of all enigmatic underground passages (souterrains aménagés). This well-illustrated book leads the reader through 7 chapters given over to the place of the underground world in conventional wisdom, to the enigmatic underground passages, to the religious underground and forbidden rites, to the sorcery, to the ring-shaped underground, and the rites of passage.

The book "Souterrains et croyances" shows the existence of underground passages made for ritual and religious use.

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A new synthesis of underground passages [underground refuges (souterrains-refuges) and ring underground passages(souterrains annulaires)] discovered in the regions of Tours, Blois and Vendôme. The first part presents the studies of 9 new sites in these regions. The second part concerns their building and some testimonies. The book is an accomplished study with maps of the location of the underground passages, statistics, and detailed synthesis of each type of building, using a list of plans of all known French underground passages and also a lot of publications about these regions.

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A complete panorama of cave dwellings in the Loire valley. Thanks to detailed researches in unknown sites, the author tried to make a reconstruction of the everyday life of the men who work or live in cave dwellings, quarries or mushroom beds.

Illustrated by new photographs, the main chapters are about underground quarries, cave dwellings, underground refuges, mushroom beds, art in quarries, and also flora and fauna.

The book shows the existence of a real "troglodytic civilisation" in the Loire ...

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A summary of the present knowledge. This work presents the organization of the underground refuges dug between 13th and17th century, the way they were dug and the groups of people concerned are presented , than it puts them together according to their link with the structure of the surface, hamlet, villages, churches, fortresses, trying in this way to define their place in the everyday life.

Published by Errance publishing house, Paris, 1995, plans, coloured photos, 128pages

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A nice book written by several authors by the direction of Roberto Bixio, Vittorio Castellani and Claudio Succhiarelli who have led and made researches in Turkey.

This book summarise all researches in cave dwellings and the underground cities in Cappadocia. The first part is dedicated to the geology of Central Anatolia, cave dwellings, and testimonies. The second part presents the underground cities unstudied by our team in 1988 and some synthesis. We wrote an article about the defence organisation in the underground cities.

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This is the first synthesis on the gigantic underground passages dug between 8th and 15th century by the Cappadocian peasants in Turkey in order to escape from the pillaging bands. In the first part of the book 5 underground towns are described and in the second part the authors analyse the underground architecture.

Published by DMI publishing house, Torcy, France, 1993, plans, photos, 110 pages.

The authors summarize the major points of the underground refuges and the annular undergrounds (souterrains annulaires) in the French regions - Anjou, Poitou, Touraine, Blésois and Berry. In the first part of the book the monographs of 19 sites are brought thogether and in the second part - the architecture and the testimonies.

Published by La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest publishing house, Tours, France, 1991, plans, coloured photos, 144 pages.

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Forteen underground passages of Touraine ( French region around Tours) are described in this illustrated book. Thanks to the particular architecture the authors explain their function.The book is written in collaboration with Jean-Michel Machefert.

Published by La Nouvelle République du Centre-Ouest publishing house, Tours, France, 1987, plans, coloured photos, 96 pages.

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