LITHIC PRODUCTION FROM THE MIDDLE PALAEOLITHIC OF BELGIUM VARIABILITY OF RAW MATERIAL PROCUREMENT SYSTEMS AND TECHNOLOGIES AS A RESPONSE TO A MOSAIC OF CONTRASTING ENVIRONMENTS Belgium is noted for its many ancient prehistoric sites which are spread over a limited geographic area. Despite its limited size, this area shows important regional contrasts in terms of topographic relief and availability of mineral resources. These factors in conjunction with important regional differences related to the types of sites represented (cave/open air) as well as the proximity and morphology of the available flint make this area favorable for the study of man's relationship with his environment. The connection between the Neanderthal populations and the types of environments encountered constitutes the focus of this study which is divided into four closely associated parts. The first part is devoted to environmental variation starting with the interface between the flint-rich plains of Middle Belgium and the deep valleys of Upper Belgium. Only a few kilometers separate these two contrasting environments. Chronological variations follow because quaternary sedimentation had as much impact on the accessibility of lithic resources as on site preservation. The history of the research from 1829 to the present is also addressed. The motives and constraints of the researchers are responsible for both the abundance of documentary evidence and for the extremely variable quality of these documents. The second part concerns the previously mentioned documentation. Artifacts attributable to the Middle Paleolithic have been recovered from 437 sites : 46 sites (16 major ones) are found in karstic contexts and 391 sites (31 major ones) are open air sites. The distribution of these sites is a direct result of taphonomic processes, circumstances of discovery, and choices made by the Neanderthals themselves. In particular, two environments were favored : the plains which have abundant flint resources and the caves of the Mosan Basin. ...