In 2020, the richness of the culture and history of the French, has still not finished surprising us. Proof is with the recent discoveries of a team of research of the national Institute of preventive archaeological research (Inrap). In the city of Autun, situated at the gates of the Morvan, in the Saône-et-Loire, these scientists have discovered more than a hundred graves of various dates back to the Fourth century, was spotted Thursday, July 2, France 3 Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Mausoleums, coffins of lead, sarcophagi, stone…, the tombs that have been uncovered make it possible to bring a new light on the populations present in this region at the time.
As pointed out by the local broadcaster, the city of Autun has been established by none other than the roman emperor Augustus. At the time, it bore the name of Augustodunum, and was a centre of economic, administrative, intellectual, and political scale. A faculty of law and another of the letters were installed, and their reputation shone throughout the european continent. It is because of this significance at the time that the old city is a place of interest to many archaeologists, including those from the Inrap.
christian burials among the oldest in the north of Gaul
The graves recently discovered are located in a large necropolis dating from the Fourth and Fifth centuries, is located close to the paleochristian church of Saint-Pierre-The Estrier, and which housed ” the christian burials are among the most ancient of the northern half of Gaul “, written Inrap in a press release. For now, scientists have been able to update about 150 burials, ” says France 3. Depending on the details of the researchers, the dead were buried ” in the forms of tiles that are reminiscent of the burial practices of the early Empire “, but also in wood coffins and sarcophagi of sandstone. More rare in this region of France, some have even been buried in coffins of lead, without registration.
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“Autun is one of the largest repositories, with forty known copies, including eight from the excavation in progress,” says the Inrap. Although naked most of the time, some of these coffins are showing signs cruciform, rather difficult to translate. According to France 3, one of the major discoveries which deeply interested the researchers, Inrap is a coffin of lead was placed in a stone sarcophagus which appears to be airtight for more than 1,500 years. Depending on the details of the archaeologists, the opening of this burial is planned at the end of the excavation.
