Entremont (oppidum)
Encyclopedia
Entremont is a 3.5 hectare archaeological site
three kilometres from Aix-en-Provence
at the extreme south of the Puyricard
plateau. In antiquity, the oppidum
at Entremont was the capital of the Celtic
-Ligurian
confederation. It was settled between 180 and 170 B.C., somewhat later than the inhabitation of other Gallic
oppida, such as Saint-Blaise (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.). The site was abandoned when it was taken by the Romans in 123 B.C. and replaced by Aquae Sextiae (modern Aix-en-Provence), a new Roman city founded at the foot of the plateau. By 90 B.C., the former oppidum was completely uninhabited.
The site contains two distinct areas of settlement surrounded by ramparts. Archaeologist Fernand Benoit named the older area, on the summit, "Ville Haute", and the lower "Ville Basse". Subsequently it was recognised that the latter was an enlargement of the former, and they are now labelled "Habitat 1" and "Habitat 2", respectively.
Finds from the site are displayed at Musée Granet and include statues, bas-reliefs and impressive severed heads.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
three kilometres from Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
at the extreme south of the Puyricard
Puyricard
Puyricard is an agglomeration in the Bouches-du-Rhône département in Provence in the south of France, dependent on the town of Aix-en-Provence, approximately 10 km to the north...
plateau. In antiquity, the oppidum
Oppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
at Entremont was the capital of the Celtic
Celtic
The words Celt and Celtic can refer to:In ethno-linguistics:*Celts, a people of the Celtic nations*Celts , the modern Celtic identity*Celtic languages...
-Ligurian
Ligures
The Ligures were an ancient people who gave their name to Liguria, a region of north-western Italy.-Classical sources:...
confederation. It was settled between 180 and 170 B.C., somewhat later than the inhabitation of other Gallic
Gauls
The Gauls were a Celtic people living in Gaul, the region roughly corresponding to what is now France, Belgium, Switzerland and Northern Italy, from the Iron Age through the Roman period. They mostly spoke the Continental Celtic language called Gaulish....
oppida, such as Saint-Blaise (7th to 2nd centuries B.C.). The site was abandoned when it was taken by the Romans in 123 B.C. and replaced by Aquae Sextiae (modern Aix-en-Provence), a new Roman city founded at the foot of the plateau. By 90 B.C., the former oppidum was completely uninhabited.
The site contains two distinct areas of settlement surrounded by ramparts. Archaeologist Fernand Benoit named the older area, on the summit, "Ville Haute", and the lower "Ville Basse". Subsequently it was recognised that the latter was an enlargement of the former, and they are now labelled "Habitat 1" and "Habitat 2", respectively.
Finds from the site are displayed at Musée Granet and include statues, bas-reliefs and impressive severed heads.