Arles-Rhône 3, un Chaland Gallo Romain du Ier Siècle après Jesus-Christ Archaeonautica 18/2014 SABRINA MARLIER with 36 Contributors 330 pp., 337 b&w photographs and colour illustrations, 9 fold-out plans CNRS editions, 15 rue Malebranche, 75005 Paris, 201

A remarkably well-preserved 1st-century AD Roman barge, discovered in Arles on the Rhône River, provides unprecedented insights into Roman fluvial vessel construction and maritime trade. The 31-meter-long hull, dated to AD 50–60, was excavated in 2004 and exhibited in a purpose-built museum by 2014. Analysis revealed advanced boatbuilding techniques, including pitched-rag luted seams, iron nails, and a distinctive carved chine strake, reflecting both local Rhône-Saône traditions and Roman Mediterranean influences. The barge likely transported stone cargoes from Tarascon to Arles, with pollen analysis suggesting lighter goods like salt or grain on return voyages. Radiocarbon dating and dendrochronology confirmed its construction period and linked its oak timbers to forests over 400 km upstream, offering clues about timber procurement. The study also sheds light on shipyard practices in Arles, though physical evidence of the yards remains elusive.

RICHARDSON, M. (2016). Arles-Rhône 3, un Chaland Gallo Romain du Ier Siècle après Jesus-Christ Archaeonautica 18/2014 SABRINA MARLIER with 36 Contributors 330 pp., 337 b&w photographs and colour illustrations, 9 fold-out plans CNRS editions, 15 rue Malebranche, 75005 Paris, 201. International Journal of Nautical Archaeology, 45(1), 218–220. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/1095-9270.12167