The evolution of a quarter in Amiens since the Roman Period

On line since September 15, 2009 · Updated September 15, 2009

Two preventive archaeological excavations were conducted in 2006 and 2007 at the Bas Parvis and Marché aux Herbes sites in advance of building work near Amiens Cathedral. This research concerned a poorly known quarter of the city, located on the lower part of the south bank of the River Avre.

The occupation levels that accumulated during the two first centuries AD are below the water table. The preservation conditions are remarkable as was shown, in 1995, by discoveries of wood, leather, wicker, insects and seeds made during excavations on the opposite river bank. The levels of this exceptional site are protected by official conservation measures which limit the depth of the excavations to three metres. The lower, older levels containing abundant artifacts are thus protected. Archaeologists were nonetheless able to reconstruct the history of this sector from the 4^th century to the present day.

The Gallo-Roman rampart

In the Late Empire (3^rd-5^th centuries), during a significant phase of contraction, the city of Samarobriva (Amiens) was fortified. Thereafter the city only covered around twenty hectares, which is ten times less than during the 2^nd century. The wall of the castrum (fortified town), an essential element of the urban structure between the 4^th and 12^th centuries, and which until now was very poorly known, crossed the excavated sites from east to west. The first segment of the curtain-wall found was 50 m long and ran along the bank of the River Avre. Due to massive robbing of material during the Middle Ages, only an imprint of this wall is left on its foundation. Several large blocks still in place formed the foundation of a tower. The carving of the circumference of the tower on its foundations has helped archaeologists to estimate the diameter of this tower as 5 m. The existence of towers on the wall was previously unsuspected. A second curtain-wall segment, discovered 40 m to the west, comprised masonry built on the large stone foundations of quays and buildings constructed in the 1^st and 2^nd centuries along the River Avre. These major, large stone ensembles—rampart, quays and bridge abutments were formerly unknown and are also protected by conservation measures.

These archaeological discoveries will allow researchers to refine the dating of the Roman rampart, as well as the mode and rhythm of its construction and dismantling.

An urban plot from the Middle Ages to the Present Day

The excavations also included the study of an urban plot of land, from its creation in the Middle Ages (after the disappearance of the Roman rampart) until its destruction during bombings in 1940. Before these excavations, the ten centuries following the end of the Roman Period, as well as the occupations and installations outside of the castrum, were very poorly documented in both written and archaeological sources. However, we know that from the end of the 11^th century, Amiens underwent a period of rapid growth manifested by the development of vast suburbs requiring the construction of a larger city wall, completed under Philippe August at the end of the 12^th century. The excavations have confirmed that the northern part of the wall constructed in the 4^th century was not abandoned until the end of the 12^th century. Until this date, the land between the river and the rampart remained unoccupied except for light, temporary installations such as a Carolingian bronze workshop revealed in 2007. Once the wall was dismantled, the space was progressively urbanized. The first buildings, located near a poorly controlled stream with unmodified banks, were few and inconsequential. Later, in the 14^th century, roads were constructed along the approximate line of the ancient wall and the ground level was raised so as to improve drainage. Narrow plots were then defined facing the river on one side and the roads on the other. Numerous buildings were constructed, almost all with cellars. Occupation was uninterrupted within the walls. The shortage of land was compensated in the Middle Ages by an extremely dense network of cellars. Excavations of the site of Bas Parvis revealed that all sorts of activities were practiced there until recent times, illustrated, for example, by the presence of a tannery,.

Construction

Palm Promotion / SOGEPROM – Amiénoise d'Hôtellerie

Curation

Regional archaeology service, Drac de Picardie

Site director

Dominique Gemehl, Inrap

See images

Areal view of the excavation of Bas Parvis. Artefacts from the Middle Ages to Modern Times are in the process of excavation. They are organized according to a narrow, regular plots imposed by the canalized Avre River on the north side and a street following the line of the Antique city wall on the south side (at the foot of the trees).

Aerial view of the Bas Parvis dig. Artefacts from the Middle Ages to Modern Times are in the process of excavation. They are organized according to a narrow, regular plots imposed by the canalized River Avre on the north side and a street following the line of the Roman city wall on the south side (at the foot of the trees).

v.thellier@balloide-photo.com, Inrap
Aerial view of the Marché aux Herbes site. It extends from the preceding site toward the west. The plot bordering the Avre has the same characteristics as that excavated at Bas Parvis. The neighbouring plot has a more complex plot division system due to the uninterrupted occupation within the city walls.

v.thellier@balloide-photo.com, Inrap
General view of the chalk foundation of the rampart segment of the Late Empire revealed at Bas Parvis, with its ramp on the river side and the remains of a tower (in the middle of a curtain-wall).

v.thellier@balloide-photo.com, Inrap
The Bas Parvis site. Close-up of the foundation stones of the tower, and of the engraved line indicating the circumference of the tower.

D.Gemehl, Inrap
The Marché aux Herbes site. View of the rampart masonry which reused the large stone foundation of the 2nd century buildings.

D.Gemehl, Inrap
The Marché aux Herbes site. View of the bridge abutment, with a large stairway against it leading to the 2nd century buildings and quays constructed with large stones.

D.Gemehl, Inrap