Archaeologists in France have excavated a “remarkably preserved” Roman mausoleum, one of only 18 ever discovered in the country and one of the few in immaculate condition, according to a translated report from Musée Saint-Romain-en-Gal.
Tomb is Part of Larger Community
The dig was led by archaeologist Giulia Ciucci in collaboration with the Department of Rhône’s Heritage for the Future Project and carried out in Saint-Romain-en-Gal near Lyon. At 49-feet long and 20-feet high, the burial site was modeled after the Mausoleum of Augustus, which scientists say indicates that the deceased was likely a community member of high status, perhaps even an aristocrat, with extensive connections to politics and power.
Also unearthed were three “remarkably preserved” stores which date back to the first and second centuries A.D. and are part of a larger community complex which was excavated between 1989 and 1990. The entire structure contained a total of eight shops situated beneath a portico which kept shoppers safe from inclement weather.
Gachepi/CC BY-SA 3.0
Gachepi/CC BY-SA 3.0
Gachepi/CC BY-SA 3.0
Structure Was Preserved in Unlikely Way
In a bizarre twist, parts of the structure were actually preserved thanks to a fire that tore through the shopping district. Artisanal wooden structures which form the building’s skeleton remain mostly intact, offering heretofore unseen examples of modern Roman architecture. It was determined that two of the stores were essentially laundry facilities which cleaned only wool clothes, particularly white togas. A third was occupied by what researchers determined to be either a culinary or glassmaker’s furnace, which the researchers say shows the breadth of the artisanal pursuits undertaken by Romans in early urban settlements.
The dig will continue for the next couple of years, through at least 2027, as researchers endeavour to identify the occupant of the grave and find out more about their life, including their position within the community. The excavation could reveal previously unknown information about how aristocrats and the elite lived within the larger Roman empire.
