Le mobilier funéraire exceptionnel d’une sépulture d’enfant du ier siècle apr. J.-C. à proximité du chef-lieu de la cité arverne

Abstract

During a commercial excavation on the site of the Clermont-Ferrand airport at the end of 2020, near the Roman Arverni capital of Augustonemetum, a childs’ grave was unearthed. The grave is thought to have been located a few metres away from a large Roman villa occupied between the first and the third centuries AD. The burial seems to be located alongside the road leading to the villa. The grave enclosed the remains of a young child who died during the reign of Tiberius. Buried in a small 80 cm long coffin the child was accompanied by a remarkable number of funerary goods. Arranged above and around the lid of the coffin were twenty ceramic vessels that would have contained the food and drink for the funerary banquet or future commemorative meals. Many pieces of meat (pork, chickens) were part of the banquet. Miniature ceramic vessels and two-glass balsamaria may have contained medicines or cosmetics. Among the child’s personal belongings was a copper alloy brooch associated with textile remains. An iron hoop with a diameter of roughly 30 cm is the main subject of this presentation. At the foot of the child, a small puppy was laid to rest wearing a collar decorated with fifteen bronze studs, a bell and an iron leash. Finally, placed on the remains of a shell lay a milk tooth from an older child.

Keywords

• Child grave
• Clermont-Ferrand
• funerary
• game
• hoop
• toy