Start of occupation Ve siècle av. J.-C. (≈ 451 av. J.-C.)
Construction of the first northern rampart.
IIe-Ier siècles av. J.-C.
Defence strengthening
Defence strengthening IIe-Ier siècles av. J.-C. (≈ 51 av. J.-C.)
Murus gallicus built by the Cadurques.
Ier siècle av. J.-C.
Construction of the fanum
Construction of the fanum Ier siècle av. J.-C. (≈ 51 av. J.-C.)
Gallo-Roman Temple discovered in 1922.
IIIe siècle ap. J.-C.
End of the occupation of the fanum
End of the occupation of the fanum IIIe siècle ap. J.-C. (≈ 350)
Gradual abandonment of the sanctuary.
13 novembre 1984
Historical monument classification
Historical monument classification 13 novembre 1984 (≈ 1984)
Protection of portions of the oppidum.
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui
Aujourd'hui Aujourd'hui (≈ 2025)
Position de référence.
Heritage classified
Oppidum (portions) (Case A0 20, 47, 87, 88, 94, 19): by order of 13 November 1984
Key figures
Armand Viré - Archaeologist
Discoverer of the fanum in 1922.
Lucterios - Gaulish chef
Defense Uxellodunum (historical debate).
Origin and history
L'oppidum de l'Impernal, located in the commune of Luzech in the Lot department, occupies a limestone hill overlooking the 150-metre Lot. Its elongated shape (700 m long for 75 to 200 m wide) made it a strategic location for fortified habitat. For centuries, archaeologists debated whether it was Uxellodunum, the last battle of the Gauls' war led by Lucterios. Today, historians prefer the Puy d'Issolud, but the Imperial remains a major site of the Iron Age and Gallo-Roman period.
The occupation of the site began in the 5th century BC with the construction of a first bulwark in the north. In the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, the Cadurques, the Gaulish people, reinforce the defences with a gallicus murus, a typical wall combining stones and wooden beams. In the Gallo-Roman era, poorly identified buildings were built, including a fanum (Gaulous-Roman rural temple) discovered in 1922 by Armand Viré. This sanctuary, dated the 1st century BC, had a square cella surrounded by a gallery and was occupied until the 3rd century AD. Later, the site will house some 30 burials in limestone slabs.
Excavations, especially those of Armand Viré in the early 20th century, revealed objects today exposed to the Armand-Viré archaeological museum in Luzech, installed in a vaulted room of the House of Consuls. A model of the oppidum presents the main remains. Portions of the site were classified as historical monuments on November 13, 1984. The property is shared between the municipality and individuals, and visits, organized by the association SLRU D'OC, allow to discover its history and remains.
The oppidum illustrates the evolution of Gallic fortification techniques and the adaptation of local populations to Romanization. Its gradual abandonment and its re-use of funeral reflect the social and cultural transformations of the region between the Iron Age and late Antiquity. The debates on his identification with Uxellodunum underline his importance in the historiography of the Roman conquest.
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