Deux-Sèvres
Deux-Sèvres (, Poitevin-Saintongese: ''Deùs Saevres'') is a French department. ''Deux-Sèvres'' literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department. It had a ...
Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Nouvelle-Aquitaine () is the largest Regions of France, administrative region in France by area, spanning the west and southwest of Metropolitan France. The region was created in 2014 by the merging of Aquitaine, Limousin, and Poitou-Charentes ...
region
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as areas, zones, lands or territories, are portions of the Earth's surface that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and ...
in western
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
Etymology
The name is attested in 872 in the form of Exuldunus.
According to Albert Dauzat and Charles Rostaing, the name is derived from the Gallic uxelo, high, and dunum, fortress. (see Issoudun)
Ernest Nègre also brings the same meaning, from the Gallic adjective uxello- meaning elevated + the suffix dunum, fortified enclosure.Ernest Nègre, Toponymie générale de la France, Genève, Librairie Droz, 1990 (ISBN 978-2-600-02883-7, p. 172
History
Human occupation in the area dates back to prehistoric times, during the
Neolithic
The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
, when the first
neolithic
The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
men who practiced agriculture arrived, as highlighted by the presence in the commune itself, of the
dolmen
A dolmen, () or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber Megalith#Tombs, megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000 ...
near the village that presents a covering table and two orthostats at its side. The dolmen's condition is considered ruined. The 'Pierre Levée des sept chemins' is also located halfway on the road towards the Chirons de Bougon, where half a dozen tumulus are located, which are among the oldest on the Atlantic coast and were used for almost 2000 years. The presence of pottery in these different archaeological sites, dating from the
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
, is evidence of the presence of inhabitants.
During Antiquity, in Exoudun, as its toponymy attests, the presence of the Celtic Gauls, probably the Pictons, as well as a fortified enclosure of good height are proven.
During the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and ...
, Lordship of Exoudun was held in succession by several noble families, including the Lusignans. Lord of Exoudun was titled: ''Seigneur d′Exoudun''.