Roman Burials Uncovered in Southern France
In southern France, archaeologists from the French National Institute of Preventive Archaeological Research have found over 160 cremation burials within the ancient Roman city of Olbia. These burials date from the first to the third centuries A.D.
Discovery and Burial Practices
The research team noted that most cremations involved bodies placed on a wooden platform built over a square pit. As the pyre burned, the stand would give way. The intense heat caused glass artifacts to melt, bronze objects to deform, and soot to settle over the ceramics.
Some burial pits were covered with roof tiles and then sealed with soil. In other cases, the cremation remains were removed, and bones were arranged into small piles or placed in containers for reburial.
Grave Offerings and Rituals
Archaeologists also discovered that fragments of amphoras were used to construct libation channels above many graves. These channels allowed families to pour liquids such as wine, beer, or mead to honor the dead during Roman feasts and commemorations.
“Liquids such as wine, beer, and mead could then be poured into these channels to honor the dead on Roman feast days.” — Live Science
Context and Significance
The findings provide rare insight into Roman funerary customs practiced in the provincial cities of Gaul. The combination of ritual pyres, ceramic debris, and libation systems highlights both Roman engineering and religious symbolism in ancient death rites.
Further Reading
For more about Roman France, see Gaul’s University Town in Archaeology Magazine.
Author’s Summary: Over 160 Roman-era cremation burials found in Olbia reveal intricate rituals blending fire, craft, and reverence for the dead through symbolic libations and carefully built grave structures.