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Inrap Uncovers France's Past Lives June 30, 2004
by Diana Michelle Fox

When industrialists propose development in France, the National Institute of Preventative Archaeological Research, better known as Inrap, investigates areas that are primed for construction. This past year, Inrap has made three important discoveries: ancient ships were found in Lyon, mosaics in Doubs, and an Iron Age cemetery in Puisserguier.

During the Lyon excavation in central eastern France, in advance of a planned parking lot at Saint George Park, Inrap revealed remains of three ships from the first-second century A.D. These ships share a unique structure; they have a flat wood bottom held together by nails. The size of the ships, with the largest being 50.53 feet in length and 9.84 feet in width, indicates that they were most likely used to transport cargo. When compared to more modern ships that have been uncovered, they show that basic ship architecture has not fundamentally changed. For instance, a ship uncovered in the same area dating from the eighteenth century has caulking made of a similar material as that of these ancient vessels. Few depictions of ships from this era are available; thus, these ships provide some evidence of the beginnings of Gallo-Roman style naval architecture. A team including archaeologists and environmental specialists is assessing the new finds. The Saint George ships will travel to the Nuclear Ark Laboratory of Grenoble for conservation and restoration, where they will join a similar ship uncovered during a 1989 dig near Lyon.

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Remains of ships found in Lyon's Saint George Park (Courtesy Inrap) [LARGER IMAGE]

In Doubs, which is north of Lyon also on the eastern side of France, Inrap discovered three unusual mosaics within a 4100-square-foot building. Uncovered in preparation for construction of a gymnasium, the building has been attributed to end of the first or beginning of the second century A.D. Archaeologists think it was of some significance because of its size and decorations. It had mostly burned to the ground in the second half of the second century, and after another fire at the beginning of the third century it was abandoned. The Abby of Saint Paul was constructed nearby at the end of the seventh century, and some of the area was excavated at the end of the nineteenth century.

Of the mosaics, the first, which is nearly 660 square feet and was partially excavated in 1973, shows Neptune in a chariot and surrounded by geometric tiles. The second mosaic measures about 214 square feet and is composed of geometric tiles with Athena's shield (bearing a picture of Medusa's head) in the middle. Geometric patters alone adorn the 279-square-foot third mosaic. Parts of wall paintings, which are also being recovered, include darkly colored panels and red plinths.

[image] Mosaic of Athena's shield with the head of Medusa (L. de Cargouët/Inrap) [LARGER IMAGE]

Inrap's work in Puisserguier, which is in southwestern France, was brought about by some upcoming economic development in the area. Excavation revealed an Iron Age (ninth-seventh century B.C.) cremation cemetery. The burials were outlined with stones arranged in circles and rectangles with the deceased placed in the center in a circular pit vaulted by a heavy stone. The heart of the cemetery contains two tombs of special interest; these have a more complex structure, perhaps indicating that the people were of a higher status. Inside each tomb was placed an ossuary vase containing ashes, some personal items, and accompanying vases. From the entire cemetery Inrap has uncovered about 4,000 vases and 600 metal objects. This discovery will prove valuable in allowing archaeologists to study funeral practices and social organization within cemeteries in indigenous, pre-Greek communities south of Gaul. In addition, this is one of the few Iron Age burial finds in France, and it has stayed very well preserved.

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(C. Labarussiat/Inrap) [LARGER IMAGE]
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(F. Mazière/Inrap) [LARGER IMAGE]
Left, the exposed surface of the Iron Age cemetery. Right, a funerary deposit in one of the tombs. Click here to view a single pot from the cemetery

For more information, Inrap has an extensive website at www.inrap.fr. Those without knowledge of French (for the site has no English equivalent) can at least view pictures of excavations. Click on Decouvertes and then Exposition virtuelle to see photos and updates regarding the Saint George ships.

Diana Michelle Fox, a classics major at the University of Chicago, is an intern with ARCHAEOLOGY.

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© 2004 by the Archaeological Institute of America
archive.archaeology.org/online/news/inrap.html

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