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Origin and history

The mosaic with the Ocean god of the domain of Saint-Girons is a Gallo-Roman work of 20 m2 discovered in 1979 in Maubourguet (Hautes-Pyrénées). It dates from the end of the fourth or early fifth century and belonged to the setting of a frigidarium (cold water tank) of an aristocratic villa. Its central emblema represents Okeanos, the Greek god of the Oceans, surrounded by fish, octopus and dolphins, symbolizing water control. The excavations also revealed graves and sarcophagus, suggesting a reuse of the site as a late Christian place of worship, in connection with the Saint-Girons (Sanctus Giraitius).

The discovery was initiated in 1971 by Sylvain Doussau, an amateur archaeologist, after the discovery of ancient tiles and ceramics. In 1979, Yves Fraysse, a local entrepreneur, exhumed part of the mosaic during work. Doussau, assisted by Roland Coquerel (corresponding to antiquities) and Jean Guilhas (future mayor), released the emblem and confirmed its importance. In 1980, the site was classified as a historical monument, but the mosaic remained buried until 2005 for conservation reasons.

Between 2005 and 2010, the mosaic was deposited, restored and then relocated to a museum space inaugurated in 2011. The ancient walls surrounding the pavement, 70 cm wide, are also reconstructed. This project, led by Jean Guilhas, aims to preserve and value this rare testimony of late Muslim art in Gaul, mixing pagan mythology and transition to Christianity.

Studies conducted by Catherine Balmelle (CNRS) in 1979 revealed sophisticated polychrome mosaic techniques typical of Gallo-Roman elites. The presence of border-stylized shells and marine animals underscores the Mediterranean influence. The site, which was excavated in 2003, also provided evidence of continued occupation until late antiquity, as evidenced by the adjacent burials.

Today, mosaic is the centrepiece of the Maubourguet Museum. It illustrates the religious syncretism of the time, between pagan worship of the waters (Ocean) and the emergence of Christianity (sepultures). Its iconography, rare in Aquitaine, makes it a major heritage of Occitanie, classified since 1980 and studied in magazines like Gallia or Dossiers d'Archéologie.

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