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Origin and history

The Oppidum d'Entremont, located 3 km from Aix-en-Provence on the plateau of Puyricard, was the political and military capital of the Celto-Ligur confederation of the Salyens between 180 and 90 BC. Founded late in comparison with other regional oppidas, it experienced a brief but intense occupation, marked by two phases of habitat (Habitat 1 c. 175 BC, Habitat 2 c. 150 BC). The city, protected by imposing ramparts and organized in geometric islets, housed between 2,000 and 5,000 inhabitants before its abandonment after the Roman conquest.

The fall of Entremont occurred in 123 B.C., when Roman general Caius Sextius Calvinus took the city after a decisive battle near Aquae Sextiæ (future Aix-en-Provence). The Salyan king Teutomalios fled to the Allobrogs, and the population was transferred to the new Roman city. The excavations revealed a primitive sanctuary (iron age), statues of squatted heroes holding human trophies, and oil presses showing a prosperous economy. The remains, including the famous stone "cut heads", are now on display at the Granet Museum.

The site, rediscovered in the 19th century, was systematically searched from 1946 by Fernand Benoit, who discovered the two superimposed habitats. The ramparts of Habitat 2 (6-7 m high, reinforced with towers) and cobbled streets reveal urban planning inspired by Hellenistic models, while imported objects (Greek ceramics, Carthaginian amphoras) attest to commercial ties with Marseilles. Ranked a Historic Monument in 1980, Entremont remains a major testimony of Celto-ligure civilization before Romanization.

The topography of the plateau (367 m of altitude, cliffs to the south) made it a strategic site overlooking the Heracléan track, linking the Oppida salyans (test of the Ost, Baou-Roux) to the Massaliot counters. Recent excavations have confirmed the existence of an artisanal dump site (island 29) and a drainage system, while soil analysis (miocene limestone, flex) explains the choice of location for statuary size. The name Entremont, attested only in the Middle Ages, could derive from the Latin Intermontes or from a medieval owner named Tramonto.

The Salyens, a warrior people organized in economic confederation, used Entremont as a military base and political centre, associated with the Emorium d'Arles for trade. Their culture, mixing Celtic traditions (cult of skulls, symbols of reincarnation) and Mediterranean influences (architecture, imported ceramics), was extinguished with the foundation of Aquae Sextiæ. Epigraphic discoveries, rare, include a cup bearing the name Bal(omarios?) Mardus, highlighting links with Latins.

The collections of the Granet Museum, including statuary and bas-reliefs, illustrate Salyen art: portraits of princes in sumptuous costumes, Celtic weapons and jewelry, but also techniques inspired by Greek sculpture (clayed hairs, use of tripan). The currencies found on the spot come 99% from Marseille, confirming its role as a commercial intermediary. Today, the site, owned by the State and classified, is the subject of preservation work, such as the restoration of water disposal systems in 1999.

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