Summary
A comprehensive catalogue of 1,895 terracotta objects from the Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct) reveals significant insights into the site's archaeological history. The study, conducted by Guy Barruol and Jean-Luc Fiches, documents a highly fragmentary collection, with only about 20% of the total fragments (ca. 9,000) catalogued due to poor preservation conditions, likely resulting from redeposition during the early Imperial period. Notably, five terracotta figurines dating back to the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1200 BCE) represent the earliest known cultic offerings at the site, depicting a feminine figure with bird-like facial features—a style characteristic of that era. The catalogue also includes smaller terracottas, medium-sized pieces, and larger fragments, though these are rarely complete. The research relies on extensive documentation of past excavations, including those from 1888 and the Mitford-Iliffe mission (1950–1955), though some materials remain missing despite searches across European institutions.
Citation
(Ed.). (2013). Barruol Guy, Fiches Jean‑Luc, Garmy Pierre (dir.), Les ponts routiers en Gaule romaine. Actes du colloque tenu au Pont du Gard du 8 au 11 octobre 2008 ( RAN, Suppl. 41), Montpellier, Presses Universitaires de la Méditerranée, 2011, 1 vol. 23 x 28,5, 720 p., 1 cahier de 64 photos coul. Revue Archéologique, n° 55(1), 212v–217v. https://doi.org/10.3917/arch.131.0157v
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World Heritage Explorer > World Heritage Research > Publications > Barruol Guy, Fiches Jean‑Luc, Garmy Pierre (dir.), Les ponts routiers en Gaule romaine. Actes du colloque tenu au Pont du Gard du 8 au 11 octobre 2008 ( RAN, Suppl. 41), Montpellier, Presses Universitaires de la Méditerranée, 2011, 1 vol. 23 x 28,5, 720 p., 1 cahier de 64 photos coul.