Le temple polygonal de la rue Lecointre à Reims/Durocortorum

Abstract

The location, chronology and nature of the remains unearthed on rue Lecointre in Reims/Durocorturum (Marne) renew and complete the archaeological data available concerning the northern extremity of the city during the Early Roman Empire. Despite its marginal location, the excavated zone is associated with a particularly rich archaeological context, particularly influenced by two structuring elements: the Early Roman fortification wall and the cardo maximus. It is located at the entrance to the Early Roman city, less than 50 m west of the cardo maximus. The northern zone of the ancient city seems to have been understood from the outset as the site of monumental and funerary complexes, even if it also housed spaces devoted to domestic and artisanal activities. The site constitutes the first glimpse of spaces within Durocortorum dedicated to worship for the early Gallo-Roman and Alto-Imperial transitional periods. In terms of chronology, the elements uncovered precede all of the community-oriented remains discovered within the Reims urban area, with the exception of those belonging to the necropolis on rue de Sébastopol, which presents similar chronologies to those found on rue Lecointre. A small semi-circular enclosure was set up to the south of the site during the 1st c. BC and a nearby, backfilled well yielded relatively atypical material, dated to the second quarter of the 1st c. AD. The particular nature of the ceramic material clearly indicates a common table setting. The unusual quantity of pig bones suggests the remains of a banquet. Although it is difficult to determine the actual importance of cult or funerary activities carried out on the site during the late La Tène period, the chronological sequence of evidence, in particular the construction of a polygonal temple with a centered plan in the last third of the 1st c. AD, indicates that once the site’s function crystallized, its vocation would not subsequently change. Although it was not the first building to be constructed on the site, the importance of its substructures and the robustness of its composing parts clearly indicate a thrust toward monumentalizing in building activity. While the use of polygonal forms in cult buildings of indigenous tradition is relatively common throughout Gaul and is not totally foreign to the region, no building uncovered on a local scale is comparable to the remains identified on rue Lecointre. The temple assumed two configurations: the internal space of the cella increased from 29 to 49 m2 through a reduction in wall diameter, which also generated a change in shape for the internal space of the cella, going from circular to octagonal. Although rich in information, the documentation at our disposal is far from capable of answering the many questions raised concerning architecture, chronology and religious activities. Many uncertainties remain relative to the elevations of both the first and the second version of the temple, for which the chronology also remains unclear. Which rites were performed in the vicinity of the polygonal temple also remain a mystery, as no revealing artifacts were uncovered during the excavation. The proximity and chronology of the amphitheater and the abundance of wildlife found within the peribolos ditch, may testify to the organization of venatio in the amphitheater, suggesting strong interactions between the temple and the amphitheater, as is sometimes the case in Gaul between performance and sanctuary spaces. The diversity of fallow deer bones discovered attests to the presence of this animal, living within the territory during Gallo-Roman times. It represents a first for this region and thus confirms the hypothesis that this animal may have been imported and kept in parks. Finally, the establishment of a chalk quarry, in the immediate vicinity of the temple during the first half of the 3rd c. AD and which reached its peak in activity at the turn of the 4th c., raises important questions. Did the construction, or major renovation work of one or more large-scale buildings (temples, amphitheater) in its immediate vicinity, require the quarry’s installation? With the polygonal temple located at the south-eastern limit of the installation, it is likely that the construction program included other edifices (closer to the cardo maximus?).