L’aqueduc antique de Reims (Durocortorum)

Abstract

Mentioned for the first time in 1831, the ancient aqueduct of Reims has been the subject of various observations during the 19th century, beforeit’s been erased for memory with world war one.It was only at the beginning of the eighties that the G.E.A.C.A. (1) undertook a new study of the building by means of prospection campaigns,backed by borings. From 2005, preventive archaeological operations of wider scale have been achieved in the south-east periphery of Reims.These recent research allowed to improve the architectural knowledge of the hydraulic work and the precision of its layout of close to 25 miles. Itwas possible to answer questions largely unknown so far such as chronology or materials recovery methods. According to results from ceramicsanalysis and radiocarbon dating, it is now proven that the construction of the work took place in the second half of Augustus reign, in the firstquarter of the first century of our era.A higher accuracy would be required regarding when it was stopped to be used but the correlation of archaeological items and data establishedfrom the ancient hydraulic fitting-out inside the city seem to indicate the end of the 4th century or the beginning of the 5th century.The first salvage of materials from the aqueduct is prior to the Merovigien period. The remains surrounding the work show that the demolition ofthe fittings required an important and well organized means. Other materials salvage operations will follow one another until the 19th century.The synthesis of the whole archaeological work built up from the re-discovery of the monument, in the years of 1830, to nowadays is presentedin this book. (traduction : Fabrice Laporta)