Farmers settled here during the 6th-5th centuries BC, at the end of the Iron Age, creating a small farm covering 2 hectares. Traces of at least four buildings of 10 x 20 m 2, spaced out at about thirty metres define the occupation zone. Side ditches, used as dumping grounds, have yielded everyday life elements: painted pottery shards, iron objects including a razor, bones of young animals which could indicate the presence of a fairly well-to-do population. Near this settlement, several raised grain lofts provided protection for harvests from bad weather and rodents. Lastly at about a hundred metres, ten or so buried silos provided storage for cereals during the long winter periods.
River Seine, a historical source. The archaeological sites of Marnay and Pont-sur-Seine
On line since September 15, 2009 · Updated September 15, 2009
Before the building of a bioethanol plant SMBE between Marnay and Pont-sur-Seine, on a 47 hectare plot of land, an archaeological evaluation was carried out in the summer of 2006. Numerous traces of human occupation dating from Early Neolithic to the Middle Ages were found. Given these results the regional archaeological department of Champagne-Ardenne decided to carry out an extensive excavation over more than 12 hectares. This research was entrusted to an Inrap team, present on the site from February to September 2007.
A Neolithic village and a Bronze Age necropolis
The earliest findings date from the Neolithic Age (5000 BC). They consist of dwellings (buildings, extraction ditches, silo, etc.), and what is probably a tomb. The most significant element is a large house of the Linear Pottery Culture (Linearbandkeramik). Traces of wooden posts driven into the earth outline the plan of the house and show that it measured 25 x 8m. Side ditches were used as extraction zones for the making of cob. These ditches, filled in with flint and pottery waste, enable searchers to understand the daily life of these first sedentary farmers a little better.
A few metres away, but thousands of years later, men buried other men (10th-11th century BC)
This necropolis dating from the later Bronze Age is composed of seven circular funerary enclosures. Only the trace of the ditch used for earth extraction to build the tumulus (small hill of earth covering a tomb) is still visible. In fact, because of earth erosion, no single grave has been kept.
Six graves and three incinerations, with no associated material, posterior to the Bronze Age, situated outside the enclosures and for some isolated, have been brought to light in this zone; but only radio-carbon dating (Carbon 14) will enable a precise dating.
A few metres away, but thousands of years later, men buried other men (10th-11th century BC)
This necropolis dating from the later Bronze Age is composed of seven circular funerary enclosures. Only the trace of the ditch used for earth extraction to build the tumulus (small hill of earth covering a tomb) is still visible. In fact, because of earth erosion, no single grave has been kept.
Six graves and three incinerations, with no associated material, posterior to the Bronze Age, situated outside the enclosures and for some isolated, have been brought to light in this zone; but only radio-carbon dating (Carbon 14) will enable a precise dating.
A small Iron Age farm
A Roman way as yet unknown
Gallo-Roman populations also left a few traces on this land. The site of the future chemical plant is crossed lengthways by an ancient road parallel to the River Seine, as yet unknown. Beyond the excavation site its trace remains uncertain. It probably linked the Roman town of Troyes with another one to the west, perhaps Paris. It is characterised by side ditches and, in some places, by an abnormal concentration of sandstone stones in the ploughed levels.
A Gallo-roman funerary mausoleum
During 1st or 2nd century AD an impressive monument was built along the Roman road. It was a funerary mausoleum to glorify the memory of some important person of the region. In the centre of a rectangular park protected by a wall, it had the form of a square tower 10 to 15 m high. Even though only the important foundations have been kept, other still standing examples, such as the mausoleum of St Rémy-de-Provence can give us an idea of what this one looked like. It must have had three storeys each one narrower that the previous one. It was decorated in the Roman manner, with fluted columns surmounted with moulded capitals and cornices. It was crowned with a rotunda covered with a conical roof on which there was a statue of the deceased. Other motifs could have illustrated the glorious deeds of the personage. The identity of the deceased is not known. His body has not been found for at that period Romans were cremated. The urn containing his ashes must have been placed in a small niche in the mausoleum. But he was obviously a notable and rich personage, perhaps one of the illustrious veterans of the Roman army to whom the Empire gave land in recently conquered territories.
A necropolis of the Early Middle Ages
About 650 mediaeval graves (6th-12th centuries AD) have been found around the Roman road, which, at that time, even though it was not so wide, was still used. The study of these burial graves enables a better comprehension of funeral practices during the Early Middle Ages: presence or not of coffins, of wooden or stone coffering or of shrouds.
The objects that have been found correspond to the oldest phase (6th century AD), iron belt buckles decorated with silver, bronze fibulae, iron scaramaxes (single-edged knives), pottery. They testify that the deceased were buried with clothes and accessories. During the following centuries their disappearance can be linked to the progressive Christianisation of the populations.
After the excavation, the work of anthropologists in laboratory on the sex, age, state of health, pathologies of the deceased, will open up a wide field of study of these ancient populations. This necropolis is doubtless linked to the mediaeval settlement (10th-11th century AD) discovered a few hundred metres to the north.
The objects that have been found correspond to the oldest phase (6th century AD), iron belt buckles decorated with silver, bronze fibulae, iron scaramaxes (single-edged knives), pottery. They testify that the deceased were buried with clothes and accessories. During the following centuries their disappearance can be linked to the progressive Christianisation of the populations.
After the excavation, the work of anthropologists in laboratory on the sex, age, state of health, pathologies of the deceased, will open up a wide field of study of these ancient populations. This necropolis is doubtless linked to the mediaeval settlement (10th-11th century AD) discovered a few hundred metres to the north.
A settlement dating from the Middle Ages (10th-11th centuries)
Lastly a settlement dating from the late Early Middle Ages was excavated over 1.6 hectares. The 400 structures brought to light correspond to at least 4 sets of buildings, systematically associating excavated huts (workshop or storage place) hearths and houses of perishable materials. Grain silos are associated with these zones or regrouped in specialised areas.
The archaeological findings are numerous: pottery, of which numerous shards are decorated, iron objects (knives, arrow heads…) and some elements of luxury goods including a chess pawn. It was possibly an agricultural establishment belonging to individuals of a relatively high social status.
The archaeological findings are numerous: pottery, of which numerous shards are decorated, iron objects (knives, arrow heads…) and some elements of luxury goods including a chess pawn. It was possibly an agricultural establishment belonging to individuals of a relatively high social status.
Development
SMBE chemical plant, Soufflet group
Curation and scientific control
Regional Archaeological Department
Drac Champagne-Ardenne
Drac Champagne-Ardenne
Site Managers
Raphaël Durost, Sandrine Fournand, Vincent Marchaisseau, Isabelle Richard, Marie-Cécile Truc, Guillaume Verrier, Inrap
Scientific and technical monitoring
Alain Koehler, Inrap
See images
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General view of the Neolithic house with post-holes indicating the position of the outer walls and the roof.© Inrap -
Reconstruction of a house of the Neolithic period.© Inrap -
Bronze Age funerary enclosure.© L. de Cargoüet, Inrap -
Reconstruction of an Iron Age raised grain loft.© S. Lemeurier, Inrap -
Graves being excavated.© L. de Cargoüet, Inrap
