By Raphael Motte
Published on 25 Feb 21 at 15:47
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The “Ecrin des Arts” operation is a new high-end real estate program of 55 housing units located in the historic heart of Nîmes in a small residential street, As part of the work at, the regional archeology service (Drac Occitanie) carried out an excavation with the aim of safeguarding Roman remains which had been identified during a diagnosis carried out by the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap).
Two Roman domus
The work of archaeologists revealed Roman remains, some of which are very well preserved. The excavation focused on two Roman houses in the district of the forum of Nemausus, the temple of which is known under its modern name “La Maison Carrée”, located a hundred meters away. The complete plan of these domus goes beyond the limits of the excavation and the plots of the development program. Nevertheless, one of these two buildings is distinguished by the presence of a reception room recognized in almost its entirety.
Painted decors
A rare occurrence in the Nîmes archaeological context, the painted plaster adorning the walls of this room were discovered collapsed on the ground. The traces visible on the back of these plasters show that they were initially placed on an earthen building and incised in rafters to ensure their good adhesion. On their painted face, these plasters have a classic decor with large red panels and black inter-panels welcoming refined candelabra.
The house of a notable
This type of composition corresponds to a fashion very present in Roman Gaul in the 1st century AD. The concrete floor associated with these plasters has a geometric honeycomb decoration made of black tesserae. In the main axis of the room, this pavement includes a sectile opus carpet (coating of marble slabs of various shades and sources here drawing a checkerboard) .The choice of marble to enrich the decor encourages attributing this domus to a notable of the ancient city of Nîmes.
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