Archaeological Museum of the Oise à Ansauvillers dans l'Oise

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Key figures

Origin and history

The Oise Archaeological Museum was built around the objects discovered during the excavations of the Gallo-Roman vicus of Vendeuil-Caply, an ancient city potentially covering 130 hectares. In 1570, the seigneur of Esruisseaux discovered an ancient cellar and Gallo-Roman walls, reported in 1574 by Georges Thury and Jean Wargnier to the Prince of Condé. These first finds attract collectors and antique dealers, dispersing objects to England.

In the 19th century, learned societies such as the Picardie Antiquary Society were interested in the site, notably to locate Bratuspantium. Napoleon III even ordered excavations in 1863. Modern research began in the 1950s with Roger Agache, pioneer of aerial archaeology, who identified structures on Mount Catelet. The systematic excavations, carried out in 1956 by Gérard Dufour, André Demarcy and Father Noché, reveal remains such as the "Monument 1", a Gallo-Roman cellar.

The museum's collections, enriched by donations from local farmers, first moved to the town hall of Breteuil in 1961, then moved several times before settling in 2011 in a modern building near the archaeological site. The museum, managed by the community of communes of the Picardy Oise, now houses a conservation and study centre (CCE) for archaeological furniture, pooling scientific resources and expertise.

The continuous excavations since the 1980s, led by Daniel Piton and Vincent Legros, have documented the ancient agglomeration, its temples, its theatre and its habitats. The museum exhibits flagship objects such as fibulas, Gaulish and Roman coins, or a plaque of Celtic bronze harnesses, illustrating the daily and artisanal life of Prehistory in the Middle Ages.

The museum's contemporary architecture, incorporating a vegetated roof and a geothermal system, is part of an environmental approach (HQE). Located 400 metres from the ancient theatre of Vendeuil-Caply, it values an archaeological heritage of national importance, while supporting research through its laboratories and reserves accessible to researchers.

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