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Heritage classified

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Origin and history

The Popidum des Deux Manses, located in Sainte-Maure-de-Touraine, is one of four or five emblematic oppidas of the city of Turons (present-day Touraine). This fortified Gallic site, characteristic of the Iron Age, strategically overlooks the Vienna Valley, surrounded by two valleys. Its defensive system included a still visible rampart of land, coupled with an external ditch, typical of the constructions of Tenus III (last phase of Celtic culture). Site occupancy dates back to prehistoric and protohistoric periods, confirming its lasting importance in the region.

The vallum (rempart) of the Two Manses, dated from the Tene III (between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC), illustrates Gallic fortification techniques. This monument, classified by decree of 13 November 1986 for its remains (rempart and ditch), offers a material testimony of the political and military structures of the Turons. Its location, between plateau and valley, reflects a desire for territorial control and protection of local resources, in a context of increasing tensions before the Roman conquest.

It is part of a network of fortified turon sites, marking the spatial and hierarchical organization of this Gaulish city. Although ancient written sources on the Turons are rare, archaeology reveals a structured society, capable of mobilizing important means to build collective fortifications. These oppida served as both shelters, political centres and places of exchange, playing a key role in community life before and during Romanization.

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