Period of activity of Pech Maho VIe–IIIe siècles av. J.-C. (≈ 251 av. J.-C.)
Oppidum of the Iron Age, Mediterranean port.
1986
State deposit of collections
State deposit of collections 1986 (≈ 1986)
Partial transfer of artifacts from Pech Maho.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Origin and history
The Corbières Museum, located in Sigean, Aude, houses archaeological and ethnological collections mainly from the site of Pech Maho, an oppidum of the Iron Age (VIth in the 3rd century BC). This site, port and place of trade with the Mediterranean world, has delivered Greek, Italian, Punic and Iberian ceramics, as well as lead slats inscribed in Iberian. These artifacts demonstrate its central role in cultural and economic exchanges at the time.
The museum's collections also include items related to the local economy, such as hand tools (swords, saws, tuyères) and jewellery (belt loops, fibules), reflecting the region's metallurgical and textile activities. Broken offerings and weapons, discovered on the site, evoke the funeral rites of the oppidum. In 1986, the State, owner of Pech Maho, deposited part of these collections in the museum, enriched by historical documents provided by a local association.
The museum offers a global view of Sigean's heritage, marked by its position as a border town with Spain. The collections cover a period from prehistory to the Middle Ages, with particular attention to Pech Maho's oppidum. Gallo-Roman objects, like those of the ancient lighthouse of Caussagues, complete this historical panorama. Finally, ethnographic collections illustrate local traditions, including viticulture, salt, fishing and hunting.
