Archaeological Vestiges of Poitiers

As much of old cities, the basement of Poitiers conceals many vestiges of the various periods of its history.

This page counts and describes what the various archaeological excavations put at the day, and which is not observable any more.

Prehistory

Antiquity

ZAC of Saint-Éloi

A pertaining to worship complex was with the site ZAC of Saint-Éloi, on the plate in the east of the town of Poitiers. They were put at the day at the time of excavations of rescue before a building site of extension of the ZAC, at the east of the school complex Pablo Neruda. It is the INRAP which gained the market of the preventive excavation, the archaeological excavations from now on being subjected to competition. The excavations began mid-February 2005, for an initial building site of two months, the first surveys having let think of simple a villa. The site being proven more interesting than envisaged, the excavations were prolonged one month (fine of the building site envisaged at the end of May). They are directed by David Brunie .......

In the west of the piece, a Gallic enclosure, recut by the foundations of a later building was. This building is built at two distinct times, the walls of the one being built out of regular equipment, and those of the other out of irregular hardcores. Their respective functions were not given.

In the east of the piece, are two temples, which one is badly explained for the moment the site, with the variation of the ancient agglomeration of Poitiers ( Lemonum ). Oldest and smallest (approximately 100 m ²) is of the type Fanum , with concealed square surrounded by a gallery of circulation. Two states at least followed one another there, as from the 1st century.

In the east of this first temple, a second, vaster (450 m ²) and more monumental, is of Gallo-Roman time (the mortar used being pink, unlike that of the first temple, white). He was equipped with columns (six in frontage, at least six around the concealed ), of a staircase, a Pronaos , and of a gallery making the turn on three faces of the concealed. Its foundations are very deep, up to 2,10 meters under the levels of circulation.

The dating of the site is still dubious: the first temple would date from the end of Independence, the other states of the site being located under the dynasties julio-claudiennes, of the Antonins and the Sévères.

The site also delivered many excavated structures, silos, pits, and a well empierré at the top. Three burials in open ground were also found, of which a container three women.

Excavations of the street of the Marne: building site of the future theater

The Middle Ages

See too

History of Poitiers

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