The alpine societies facing the death during the Late Antiquity in the mountain: in the heart of the civitas of Eturamina, the site of Saint-Pierre 2 at Thorame-Basse (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, 04) - HAL Accéder directement au contenu
Communication dans un congrès Année : 2021

The alpine societies facing the death during the Late Antiquity in the mountain: in the heart of the civitas of Eturamina, the site of Saint-Pierre 2 at Thorame-Basse (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, 04)

Résumé

In the heart of the upper Verdon valley (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, 04), the civitas of Eturamina extended between the communes of Thorame-Haute and Thorame-Basse, in the Issole Valley. Mentioned as the diocese's chief town in the year 442, the name of this locality nevertheless disappears from the texts although we know of the existence of an ephemeral bishopric that existed for a short time during the 5th century. No remains relating to this ancient city have been identified in the valley. Indeed, the settlement dynamics over time in this vast sector was poorly understood until 2018. Since then, an interdisciplinary and diachronic research program has led to the discovery of an unpublished site located on the Plateau de Saint-Pierre, at an altitude of more than 1300 m. Since 2019, archaeological operations have revealed protohistoric and ancient built structures and have led to the discovery of a funerary space from the High Empire and a second one dating from late Antiquity. This project aims to maximise our understanding of the site through interdisciplinary research: paleoenvironmental approaches (anthracology, pedo-anthracology, geomorphology, geoarchaeology), as well as geophysical survey. This approach will elucidate our understanding of the forms and evolution of human settlement and the natural environment's management. The diachronic occupation suggests that this vast plateau may have been an essential settlement point for the valley due to its topographical configuration and dominant position during Antiquity. The final phase of the site, also the best documented period, corresponds to the late antique funerary zone, represented by about twenty burials dated between the end of the 4th century and the beginning of the 6th century (dated by 14C). The tombs are located in the partially dismantled ruins of an High Empire settlement. However, it remains difficult to understand the parameters implying a possible collective memory place for the funerary space of the Late Antiquity. Practices differ from those of the High Empire, which are represented, for the moment, only by cremations. The deceased (adults and perinatals) are buried in tegulae coffins or, sometimes, in flexible envelopes (shrouds). The elements discovered suggest clothed burials, with ornamental items (bracelet, earrings and glass beads), in particular a medallion with Sabazios, interpreted as a souvenir of an oriental pilgrimage. Beyond these strictly funerary considerations, this site's major contribution lies in the acquisition, for the first time, of data concerning the late Antiquity populations of a mountainous area. This may represent one of the first Christian communities' funerary spaces in the Alps, which underwent Christianization relatively late, i.e. during the 5th century.
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halshs-03419947, version 1 (08-11-2021)

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  • HAL Id : halshs-03419947 , version 1

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Alexia Lattard. The alpine societies facing the death during the Late Antiquity in the mountain: in the heart of the civitas of Eturamina, the site of Saint-Pierre 2 at Thorame-Basse (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, 04). Death and the societies of Late Antiquity. New methods, new questions ?, G. Granier; C. Boyer; E. Anstett, Nov 2021, Aix-en-Provence, France. ⟨halshs-03419947⟩
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