Archaeologists in France have unearthed the Roman-era remains of a lake and a wall surrounding a natural freshwater spring. They believe it was built on the remnants of an older site, possibly sacred, that may date back 4,500 to 6,000 years to the Neolithic period.
The Roman remains are thought to date back to the third century, and artifacts found there include a ceramic face of a deity or Medusa placed near the water source. The site also contained shards of pottery and coins from the late Roman Empire, as well as flint fragments and daggers believed to have been found there during the Neolithic period.
According to a statement from the National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP), these remains were discovered near the village of Chamborêt, about 20 kilometers north of Limoges in southwestern central France.
A team from the French national archaeology agency INRAP discovered the site near the village of Chamborêt, approximately 20 kilometers north of Limoges. (Photo: © INRAP)
Roman-Era Remains
This site appears to have been abandoned for many centuries. However, it was revived in the third century AD during the Roman occupation of the region. Archaeologists found numerous fragments of tiles from that period; some showed signs of heating, indicating there may have been fires in the area.
The freshwater spring itself seems to have been encased in a wooden box buried in a pit filled with flat stones. This, in turn, provided water for the landscaped lake surrounded by an arch or wall made of granite blocks, containing pottery fragments from the third and fourth centuries.
The Roman remains were constructed on the foundations of an ancient site. Researchers stated: “Water has played an important role in agriculture since the earliest times.”
Archaeologists also discovered several late Roman coins and a ceramic fragment depicting part of a face. It is believed to represent a deity or Medusa, a popular motif during the late Roman period thought to ward off evil. The ceramic face seems to have been placed above, symbolizing the water deity.
Ancient Weapons
Although the Roman remains surrounding Chamborêt Spring are currently the most prominent, there are signs that humans frequented the site much earlier in antiquity.
The ceramic face of a deity or Medusa—a figure with snake hair believed by the Romans to ward off evil—was hung over the pool or basin.
Archaeologists also found several coins at the site, including coins depicting the Roman myth of Romulus and Remus being suckled by a she-wolf.
Additionally, archaeologists uncovered several flint fragments at the site, including a piece of a dagger known as “Grand Pressigny”, named after the archaeological site of Grand-Pressigny in central France, where some long blades from this Neolithic period were discovered.
