The Iron Age in the Department of the Var

CULTURE

EXHIBIT VISITOR’S GUIDE GAULS 8 CENTURIES OF HISTORY IN THE VAR (-800-50 BC )

A R C H E L O G I C A L E X H I B I T I O N ABBAYE DE LA CELLE (LA CELLE ABBEY) April 20 > August 25, 2019 FREE ENTRANCE Place des Ormeaux La Celle From Tuesday to Sunday (closed on Mondays and on May 1st) 10:30am-12:30pm / 1:30pm-5:30pm

E VERYWHERE, FOR EVERYONE, THE V AR, YOUR EVERYDAY PARTNER he exhibition is devoted to the Iron Age in the department of the Var. This era developed through trade between the various peoples of the Mediterranean basin. The exhibits re - Ttrace these diverse influences. The founding of the city of Massalia (Marseille) by the Greeks contributed enormously to the spread of goods throughout the Var from the coast. Du - ring these eight centuries of History, Provence experienced huge changes – trade increased, artisanal and agricultural changes began to specialise and both road and defensive infrastruc - ture developed.

The collections on display show a complex Gallic civilization both warlike (statues, weapons, fortified high-rise dwellings) and very influenced by the Mediterranean peoples. The Var was at that time occupied by Celto Ligurians.

The Gauls of the Var: The Iron Age The Iron Age corresponds to the second half of Protohistory – the chronological period from 800 BC to the 1 st century BC, followed by the Bronze Age and ending with the Roman conquest of Gaul around 50 BC. Beyond this often controversial dating, the transition from the Bronze to the Iron Age was in fact a slow progression, reflected by the changes in indigenous societies.

6 Etruscan amphora from the 5 th century BC Grand Ribaud shipwreck near Hyères Archeological excavation Luc Long/Drassm and Comex, photo Frédéric Bassemayousse.

- 2 - 3 Bronze sword found at Flayosc (© Musées de Marseille) cliché David Giancatarina

In the South of France this dating differs so - Age, notably the creation of strongholds and mewhat, since the real turning point bet - trading posts. ween the Bronze and the Iron Ages took place with the development of trade bet - Thus, in the south of France, the 4 th century ween the different peoples of the Mediter - BC saw the construction of several maritime ranean. Thus, the founding of the city of fortresses along the coast: Olbia (Hyeres), Massalia (Marseille) by the Greeks who ar - Tauroeis (Six-Fours-les-Plages), offshoots rived in 600 BC from the city of Phocaea was from the Phocaean city of Massalia. They a major factor in the distribution of Greek guaranteed the economic dynamism of Mar - and Etruscan goods throughout the Var. seille, despite the warmongering pressure of the indigenous peoples. The Iron Age gets its name from the impor - tant use of ferrous metallurgy. The period On this subject, the Greek author Strabon is traditionally divided into two parts: wrote that the Massaliotes “seeing them - selves surrounded by Barbarians, built these - The first Iron Age (800 to 450/400 BC) also different places: they wanted to keep their known as the Hallstatt period (named after enemies at bay and ensure that they at least a major archaeological site of this period, had free access by sea, as the land was in in Austria) the hands of their enemies.” - The second Iron Age (450 – 400 BC at the (Geography IV,1,9) time of the change of era) or period of La As a result of this situation, the Phocaean Tène (named after a settlement and burial city turned towards sources of supply other site (necropolis) of exceptional wealth lo - than those offered by the Celts (Cereals cated in Switzerland) from Sicily and North Africa, Iberian Mining resources…). This political instability threa - In Europe, the passage from the first to the tening trade will end with the Roman second Iron Age is demonstrated from an Conquest. archaeological point of view by the disap - pearance of tumulus burial mounds in the During these eight centuries, the territories Var from the 5 th to the 6 th century BC. Com - of Provence and the Languedoc were largely mon practice throughout the Var, the aban - restructured: exchanges with the peoples donment of this funeral mode reflects the of the Mediterranean and Europe increased, demise of local princes and the emergence artisanal and agricultural activities started of a more egalitarian warrior aristocracy. to specialise, and road and defensive infra - Other changes occur during the second Iron structure developed.

- 3 - A mosaic these Celtoligurians were of peoples organised in a federa - Gaul is the name given in tion of ten sectors, whose Antiquity to the regions oppidum (fortified set - between the Rhine , the tlement) of Entremont, Alps, the Mediterranean , north of Aix-en-Provence the Pyrenees and the was the capital. Atlantic. It corresponds approximately to a te- 5 Warrior bust in chainmail found at Fox-Amphoux During the Iron Age, the (© Musées de Marseille) cliché David Giancatarina rritory which includes territories correspon - France, the current ding to present-day Var Luxembourg and Belgium, as well as part of were progressively occupied by peoples where the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. It writing was integral to the culture, like the seems to have been populated mainly by Celts. Greeks and Romans, while the indigenous po - The name “Gaul” passed in Antiquity as a sy - pulations such as the Gauls, Celts and Ligu - nonym of “Celtic” and the name is mentioned rians, wrote little. for the first time by the Greek author Herodo - tus, around 450BC. The Gauls are thus the Celtic society in Gaul was dominated by family inhabitants of Gaul and modern usage is to groups. Settled in villages, these tribes were call the them Celts of Gaul. governed by aristocratic leaders of varying standing, as evidenced by the luxurious Medi - Protohistoric Provence was home to peoples terranean contents of tombs in Vix (Burgundy) whom ancient writers call “Celto Ligurians” or and Lavau (Champagne-Ardennes). These two “Celtoligyens”, from the historian Timaeus of exceptional discoveries reveal the existence Sicily (3 rd century BC). This denotes an ances - of ruling princely castes from the 6th century try mixing Celtic and Ligurian populations. BC, whose territories were linked with the Mixed in certain coastal areas with Greeks, trade networks of the Mediterranean basin. - 4 - The indigenous peo - A third of the names of ples of the second current Var communes, Iron Age are well mainly in the hinterland, known through the have a Ligurian linguistic ancient writers of origin, dating back to the Strabon and Pliny start of the Iron Age the Elder. The latter (Aups, Barjols, Ginasser - draws a very detailed vis, Plan d’Aups, Thoro - list of the names of 5 Bronze greaves of a Greek warrior found at Aups net…). the peoples establi - (cl. C. Durand, CCJ - CNRS) shed in the Var after the Roman Conquest. Religion and Cults - The Camactulici (Toulon area) The Gallic religion is essentially naturalistic, - The Tritolli (Saint Maximin Basin) as evidenced by the archaeology of places of - The Suelteri (The Maures mountain range) worship in forests (Gallic hinterland of Mar - - The Verucini (Draguignan region) seille), rocks (La Peiro de l’Autar at Cuers), - The Oxubii) (The Esterel mountain range) springs (Chatillon-sur-Seine – Vix region) or - The Ligauni (Fayence Basin) fountains (Mont Cavalier in Nimes, Glanum gorge in Saint-Remy-de-Provence). If the number and location of these Celto-Li - gurian peoples remain hypothetical, their ter - These landscaped areas formed sanctuaries ritorial limits are even more so. However, they that sometimes became dwelling places pro - are believed to have been partially taken up tected by the Gods. In this context, a city could by the Roman cities and then by the Medieval take the name of a god like Toulon, (which Bishoprics. comes from the name of the Divinity of the spring Telo) Nimes, (which comes from Ne mausus

- 5 - the city of the god Nem) or Glanum (the city of Religious syncretism (The combining of diffe - the god Glan in the Alpilles). rent beliefs) operated with Greco-Roman poly - theism (the belief or worship of more than one At these places of worship were found little god) at the end of the Iron Age. Thus “The Gal - known offerings such as the deposit of objects, lic Wars” written during the Roman Conquest (coins, tokens, metal wheels and ceramic mi - by Julius Caesar, gives us the names of some niatures…) of food (cereals, meat), the practice gods and describes the very enigmatic organi - of libations (the ritual pouring of liquids or sation of the Gallic clergy, whose beliefs were grains), the deposit of weapons (often broken) passed on by word of mouth. or even sacrifices of animals or humans. “Among the gods, they most worship Mercury. During the Iron Age, for most of the pre-Roman There are numerous images of him: they de - peoples in the south of France (Gauls, Ligu - clare him to be the inventor of all arts, the rians, Iberians…), the gods were not represen - guide for every road and journey, and they ted. It was statues of warriors who were the deem him to have the greatest influence for object of heroic cults as evidenced by the all money-making and traffic. After him they sculptures discovered at Entremont (Aix-en- set Apollo, Mars, Jupiter and Minerva. Of these Provence), Roquepertuse (Velaux), Fox-Am - deities they have almost the same idea as all phoux (Var) or Nimes. other nations: Apollo drives away diseases ,

6 Arcs-sur-Argens, grave goods from the 6 th century BC (cl. C. Durand, CCJ - CNRS) (détail).

- 6 - 3Correns, Les Cannebières, silver obol from Marseilles (cl. C. Durand, CCJ -CNRS)

Minerva supplies the Dwellings/ first principles of arts Habitat and crafts, Jupiter Archaeological holds the empire of traces of habitat at heaven, Mars controls the start of the Iron wars.” (Julius Caesar, The Age are rare in the Var. Gallic Wars, VI,17). The majority of the popula - tion inhabited higher areas, even though some lowland habitats have been identified (scattered farms and seasonal Economy and Trade dwellings). The Iron Age is a period of economic change, enriched by exchanges with the Mediterranean Called oppida by Julius Caesar in The Gallic world. Most of the food comes from agriculture Wars, these habitats on higher ground, which and livestock. Agricultural techniques improve are fortified sites, developed from the 7 th century (crop rotation and fertilisation), the cultivation BC. During the 6 th century BC their numbers in - of cereals diversifies (wheat, barley, millet, creased considerably. In the Var they increased oats). The raising of pigs, cattle, sheep and from thirty sites at the end of the 6th century goats is an important part of the subsistence BC to more than 200 in the 2 nd century BC. The economy. Agricultural production covers the earliest example of a fortified rampart with needs of rural populations as well as the supply towers in the Var dates from the end of the 5 th of local markets. century (Mount-Garou at Ollioules).

Products imported from the Mediterranean During the second Iron Age, especially at the end basin are essentially prestige goods reserved of the 3 rd century BC and particularly in the for the elite (wine, ceremonial dishes) From the second century BC, the oppidum became the 2nd century BC there was much expansion of main form of habitat. These high sites range trade, in particular the importation of Italian from the size of a hamlet to an important group wine. Financial transactions were facilitated by of dwellings such as Courtine in Ollioules or the coinage which spread throughout Gaul. Castellas at Sollies-Toucas. These fortified sites set at high altitudes with imposing stone walls and occasional monumental porches, have many urban characteristics inspired by building in the - 7 - g t 5 c s v t D M I a T w m b d r H c l t a r i e a u p h r e u a i u o

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Direction de la Communication du Conseil départemental du Var : conception/mise en page, I. Cilichini ; photo en premère page : Correns, Les Cannebières, Oboles en argent de Marseille et imitations (cl. C. Durand, CCJ - CNRS) - I mpression : Direction des Moyens internes , service imprimerie