A public housing project reveals an archaeological treasure in France

Construction has recently begun on a social housing project in a city in the south of France, and the work has led to the discovery of pieces of history buried in the ground.

According to Press release issued last Tuesday (9) by the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), archaeologists were called to the city of Nîmes, north of the Mediterranean coast, where construction work on the current Rue de Beaucaire led to the light antique stone floors.

The stones were placed next to each other to create a road, approximately 50 meters wide, and there are signs of ruts and replacement of stones due to wear. The road is believed to be a crossroads of the “Via Domiziana”, an ancient Roman road built around 2,300 years ago as the main access to Nîmes.

Between the two ancient routes, archaeologists discovered a series of tombs, as well as masonry enclosures, some built from limestone rubble or terracotta pillars and others dug into the ground.

Some of them contained human remains and fragments of ceramic and glass. Cremation was common at the time and burned remains were scattered on the ground or placed in vessels made from these materials.

According to the report, personal objects were also buried together with the deceased, a habit that was probably part of the funeral rites and ceremonies. Among these objects were vases, lamps and bowls that have remained in pristine condition for thousands of years.

The excavations also uncovered a huge moat, which was filled in and hidden under modern buildings. Investigating the inside of this structure can help researchers make other discoveries.

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Source: Olhar Digital