Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The archeological museum of Vachères was founded in 1958 by the inhabitants and the municipality, in an effort to preserve the local heritage. It was completely renovated and enriched 40 years later, in 1998, to modernize its exhibitions and enhance regional discoveries. In 2009, it was renamed the Pierre Martel Museum, in tribute to a local figure not detailed in the sources.

The museum's collections come mainly from archaeological excavations carried out in the area, especially around the Vachères plateau. Major pieces include fossils of animals and plants dated to the Oligocene (30 million years), as well as flint tools carved 120,000 years ago by prehistoric populations. These flint lodges, which have been used up to the final Neolithic, demonstrate advanced technical control in the manufacture of weapons and tools.

The Vachères region, inhabited since Prehistory, was also marked by the cohabitation between Alpine peoples and Roman civilization until the fall of the Empire. A Celto-ligure statue of the 1st century BC, called Warrior of Vachères, illustrates this pivotal period. The museum highlights these historical traces, engraved in stone and local landscapes, such as plaque limestones classified as a geological nature reserve.

Labelled Museum of France, the establishment is now housed in the premises of the Vachères Public School. He plays a key role in disseminating knowledge about the geological and human history of the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, while building on local partnerships to enrich his exhibitions.

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