Timeline

Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The archaeological excavation site of Civaux, classified as a Historical Monument in 1964, houses the remains of a first temple built in the 1st or 2nd century, followed by a second built in the 3rd century. The latter, with a central square cella, was later transformed into a Christian building with the addition of a baptismal pool. These remains illustrate the transition between pagan worship and Christianization in the region.

The site is closely linked to the Civaux Archaeological Museum, opened in 2004, which exhibits more than 200 Gallo-Roman and Merovingian objects (steles, ceramics, funeral furniture) from the local excavations. A merovingian necropolis and a baptistery of the 6th–12th centuries, located near the Palaeo-Christian and Romanesque church of the village, complete this heritage. The museum also offers temporary exhibitions, such as the one in 2013 on ceramics in Roman Gaul or the one in 2015 dedicated to dinosaur fossils discovered during the LGV excavations.

The excavations also revealed protohistoric objects of the second Iron Age in Mazerolles (Vienna), including swords and spear tips, as well as traces of Gallo-Roman craftsmanship. The site, owned by the municipality, benefits from educational activities (guided tours, track games) and a Tourism and Handicap label since 2013. Its location, between the church and the departmental road 83, makes it a key place to understand the religious and social evolution of the Vienna Valley.

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