The Trémonteix sanctuary was a Roman sanctuary with a double fanum and a single cella linked to a Roman villa. It was built 2.5 km from the center of the ancient city of Augustonemetum/Clermont-Ferrand, France. Discovered in 2009 during a preventive archaeology study, the villa was excavated by a team from the Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap) between 2010 and 2011, then partially destroyed by the subsequent development work. Only the sanctuary, listed as a historic monument in 2012, has been preserved in a green zone.
Situated at the foot of the Clermont-Ferrand hills, the archaeological site was deeply buried, ensuring its excellent preservation. Untouched by protohistoric occupation, the Trémonteix valley was developed as early as the High Empire. A first settlement, interpreted as a Roman villa, was followed by a second, built around the beginning of the 2nd century, and similarly interpreted, with a sanctuary built in a single block. The reconstruction of this settlement during the 2nd century does not seem to have led to any major reorganization of the sanctuary. However, dating the various phases of the site's occupation is complicated by the scarcity of finds, particularly ceramics, that can be used to refine the chronology of its occupation. Interpretation of the site as a villa is similarly open to debate, given the absence of any agricultural structures, with the exception of four vats whose function is uncertain.
The sanctuary occupies the northern part of the rest of the archaeological site. It is separated from the rest of the site by an enclosing wall equipped with a tower-porch, ensuring the transition between the cult space and the courtyard of the establishment. The sanctuary is located at the bottom of a slope that has been terraced to protect the site from erosion and to showcase the two temples. A number of features, including a fountain and a nymphaeum, were observed within the perimeter of the peribolos area. Both temples are centered-plan structures, with the north fanum being slightly larger than the south fanum (13 m x 9.35 m). However, only the eastern part of both fanums is known, as the rest of the area was not included in the development project and therefore not within the scope of the archaeological excavation. Although no divinity has been identified, the presence of a basin in the cella of the southern temple, the features found in the peribolos and various items of furniture indicate that this was probably a water sanctuary.
Abandoned at the end of the 4th century, the site was partially reoccupied over the following centuries, before the construction of a hamlet during the Middle Ages.
Interventions
The Trémonteix archaeological site was discovered during a preventive archaeological investigation carried out by the Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap) in January and February 2009, covering an area of around 16 hectares. Following this operation, a preventive excavation was ordered over a 35,000 m2 area and carried out by Inrap between 2010 and 2011, under the direction of Kristell Chuniaud. The area has since been developed as a 16-hectare rental district, with the exception of the sanctuary area, which was listed as a historic monument in 2012, and has been developed as a green zone. At the time of development, the Trémonteix valley was occupied by vegetable gardens and wasteland.
The area around the two temples is only partially documented, due to the limited scope of the excavation, which only allowed us to observe the eastern part of the sanctuary, i.e. around a third of the temples.
The report on the 2013 excavation can be consulted on Dolia, Inrap's catalog of documentary holdings.
Context
Geographic context
Situated at the foot of the Côtes de Clermont on an alluvial fan in a thalweg, the site has been subjected to significant sediment cover, enabling the preservation of masonry elevations up to 2.35 m high in the northern part of the site. Significant technical resources were deployed to lower the ground. The buildings were adapted to the terrain, following the direction of the slope.
The sanctuary was built some 2.5 km from the center of the ancient city of Augustonemetum, now Clermont-Ferrand. During antiquity, this town was the capital of the Roman city of the Arverni.
Archaeological context
No evidence of protohistoric occupation has been found in the Trémonteix valley.