Artisans' quarter in Meaux dating from the Early Roman Empire

On line since September 15, 2009 · Updated September 15, 2009
A building project associated with the creation of a new street (between 25 rue Saint-Fiacre and 124 rue de Châage) has led to an archaeological excavation by Inrap. 

Context of the discovery

A section of the Roman town, dating from the Early Roman Empire (1st-3rd century AD), built around two perpendicular streets, has been uncovered. This quarter was to the north of the ancient town, capital of the Meldes people. The considerable size of the excavation, which covers an area of more than 8000 m2, is advantageous making it possible, for example, to better understand the layout of the town and to study a zone on which nothing was built (possibly gardens).

The streets

Two perpendicular streets were made of gravel and sand extracted on the site. One of them, orientated east-west, the decumanus, was an unexpected discovery. It has been unearthed over a length of 80 metres and a width of 6 metres.  It has a wooden gutter and a pavement. Only 11 metres of the other, north-south street, the cardo, has been found. It has the same technical characteristics as the decumanus. It may well be that what has been found is the main north-south axis of the city, the cardo maximus.

The settlement

The streets were lined with a façade wall against which Gallo-Roman houses were built. But most of these were pulled down and only their traces on the ground remain visible. Inside the houses, the walls were painted, the floors were made of gravel and sand and the hearths made of tiles or amphora sherds. Some houses had a cellar and a well.

Craft activities

Once again excavations in Meaux, have found forges which can be recognised because of the presence of fine metal fragments, known as "anvil-dross".  This material occurs when the blacksmith beats an object on the anvil. Metal working, already found during the 2004 and 2005 excavations, seems to have played an important role in the economic activity of the Roman town. But it should not be forgotten that there were other craftsmen in this sector, such as glassmakers who worked with glass imported from the Near East, as well as potters.

Development

Bouygues Immobilier

Site director

David Couturier, Inrap

Curation

Regional Archaeology Service, Drac Ile-de-France

See the images

  • Overall view of the site during excavation.
    Overall view of the site during excavation.
    © S. Jahnichen, Inrap
  • The Roman street, the decumanus, being excavated
    The Roman street, the decumanus, being excavated
    © S. Jahnichen, Inrap
  • Detail of the Roman street: the roadway, the gutter and the pavement.
    Detail of the Roman street: the roadway, the gutter and the pavement.
    © D.Couturier, Inrap
  • An amphora base used in a forge workshop.
    An amphora base used in a forge workshop.
    © J. Cornu, Inrap
  • A potter's kiln.
    A potter's kiln.
    © N. Paccard, Inrap
  • A cellar with its entrance, on the upper left.
    A cellar with its entrance, on the upper left.
    © D.Couturier, Inrap