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Origin and history

The archaeological estate of Mané-Véchen, located in Plouhinec (Morbihan, Brittany), is a Gallo-Roman villa built between the late 2nd and early 4th centuries. Installed on a rocky spur overlooking the estuary of the d'Etel River, this strategic site was first occupied as early as Neolithic, as evidenced by the surrounding megaliths. At the Iron Age, the Gallic oppidum of Veneto, the capital of the Venetos, rose nearby, before being crushed by Julius Caesar in 56 BC during the Venetian War, probably in the Gulf of Morbihan or the bay of Quiberon.

The Romans settled there from the 2nd century, transforming the site into an atypical maritime complex: rather than a classic agricultural villa, the excavations (1970-2007) reveal a maritime palace of 1,200 m2 organized in U, with a central courtyard, a hexagonal basin, and richly decorated rooms (frescoes of Venus, mythological stuccos). The owner, a Roman dignitary whose name appears on an inscription in the museum of Brittany, probably managed economic activities related to the sea (salt, salt) and strategic decisions, as evidenced by the traces of monetary strike (21,000 pieces discovered near a patio).

The site suffered a fire around 276-282 and was briefly reoccupied by a population with bouchage and military activities (forges, animal bones, weapons), before its permanent abandonment around 320. Ranked historic monument in 2010, Mané-Véchen is distinguished by its interior decorations, among the richest in Gaul, and its ambiguous role between aristocratic residence and coastal economic center. The visits, opened since 2007, allow you to discover in situ the remains and the furniture (vases, fibules, coins) exhibited during the Heritage Days.

The ancient context explains this settlement: after Caesar's victory, the Romans romanized the region of Vannes (Darioritum), installed veterans there and developed ports such as Lorient or Étel. Mané-Véchen, with its square tower (fanal or silo?) and its neighbouring thermal baths (Carnac, Locmariaquer), illustrates this desire to control Breton marine resources, between trade and military surveillance. Its decline coincides with the barbaric invasions of the fourth and fifth centuries and the collapse of imperial structures in Armorica.

Recent excavations (2006) have redesigned its interpretation: initially perceived as a rural villa, its U-plan, its heated reception rooms, its library and its absence of agricultural spaces suggest a seat of maritime enterprise, perhaps an ancient chamber of commerce. Archaeologists have identified traces of salison, post-274 monetary strike, and objects related to recreation (game pawns) or war (warrior fibules), reflecting a multicultural occupation before its abandonment.

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