Abstract New methodological approaches have been developed to complement classical archaeological studies regarding the Bell Beaker culture over the last few years. They include laboratory research which has provided significant and innovating results concerning not only the types of production and circulation of Bell Beaker pottery but also modifications in clay resources and techniques used by potters. The analytical methods used derive from geological disciplines (polarising petrography, X-ray diffraction, heavy minerals, etc.). They have been applied to Bell Beaker pottery found in funerary contexts and in open-air settlements in several regions (Brittany, Vendée, Normandy, Languedoc, Provence). The results of this research are quite po...