Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The municipal archaeological museum of Sanguinet, labeled Musée de France, is dedicated to sub-lake discoveries made in the pond of Cazaux-Sanguinet. Based on the excavations carried out since 1978 by the CRESS (Centre for Research and Scientific Studies of Sanguinet), it presents objects brought up from the engulfed villages: Losa (gallo-Roman, 1st–IVth century), the Estey de Large (IInd century BC), and Put Blanc (VIth century BC). The collections include canoes, pottery, tools and archaeological furniture, testifying to 3000 years of human occupation before the formation of the current dune cordon.

The museum houses two exceptional canoes (n°5 and 20), dated between 1800 BC and 1815, extracted in 2003 and restored by ARC-Nucleart in Grenoble. More than 33 pine or oak canoes, 3.60 to 9.80 metres long, have been identified since 1977, constituting a unique heritage in Europe. These vestiges, partly immersed for conservation, illustrate the evolution of navigation techniques and lake lifestyles, from Bronze to Modern times.

In 2008, the museum was rehabilitated and expanded to accommodate these canoes and modernize its spaces. The exhibitions are based on documentary films showing underwater excavations, as well as experimental reconstructions (iron and wood work). The site also addresses the geology of the pond, formed by the advance of the coastal dunes, and its impact on the local human communities, from the first fishermen of the 6th century BC to the Gallo-Romans.

The collections, under the responsibility of the departmental curator, are continuously enriched by the CRESS volunteer divers. The museum showcases ceramics, bronzes, and wooden structures (floors, palisades), while 37 canoes remain in situ to preserve their integrity. A space is dedicated to Matocq, occupied as early as 1800 BC, completing the chronology of lake habitats.

This scientific and heritage project, unique in its scale, is based on collaboration between archaeologists, volunteers and institutions such as ARC-Nucleart. It offers an unprecedented insight into human adaptations to environmental transformations, while raising awareness of the protection of underwater, fragile and educational sites.

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