A Gallic rampart uncovered beneath Île de la Cité in Paris
The Ministry of Culture has announced the discovery of a stone and wood wall over two thousand years old, which could shed light on the origins of Lutetia.
The Ministry of Culture announced on Wednesday the discovery of a Gallic rampart under the Hôtel-Dieu, on the Île de la Cité in Paris. The remains, a stone and wood wall about twenty meters long, was unearthed during archaeological excavations carried out on the site.
According to the ministry, this structure could constitute a fragment of the rampart of Lutetia, the ancient city of the Gallic tribe of the Parisii. Julius Caesar mentioned this fortification in his account of the conquest of the city, which occurred in 52 BCE, during the Gallic Wars.
The discovery is presented by the authorities as a "major advance" for the understanding of the origins of the French capital. It enriches archaeological knowledge on the Gallic settlement at the origin of Paris, a subject still marked by many grey areas.
Excavations are continuing on the site of the Île de la Cité, the historic cradle of the city, where previous archaeological discoveries had already unearthed remains from different eras.
Sources
- Un rempart gaulois découvert sur l’île de la Cité, une « avancée majeure » quant aux origines de Paris — Le Monde — Une
EGazette summarizes reporting from multiple sources; follow the links for the originals.
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