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Heritage classified

Key figures

Origin and history

The Gallo-Roman villa of Colmier-le-Bas is located in the commune of the same name, in the department of Haute-Marne, in the region of Grand Est. This archaeological site, dated from Antiquity, was discovered at the place called Les Cloisets, about two kilometers from the village, at the border of the territories of Colmier-le-Bas and Menesble. The first excavations, conducted in 1783 by a farmer, revealed a mosaic that attracted the attention of the Count of Vergennes. He asked M. de Varaigne to explore the site, revealing a villa of 36 meters by 11, composed of seven main parts.

Between 1896 and 1897, and between 1964 and 1981, successive excavation campaigns improved the understanding of the site. Archaeologists, including Messrs Mathenet at the end of the 19th century, identified a 400-metre-by-260-metre enclosure, then a 95-metre-by-75-metre quadrilateral main. The villa included a praefurnium (heating system), thermal baths, murals, mosaics and statues, including a nymph now on display at the Langres Museum.

The site was listed as historic monuments on 17 May 1990, recognizing its heritage importance. Objects discovered, such as mosaics studied by J.-Ch. Didier and J. Harmand in the 1960s testified to the luxury and romanization of this Gallo-Roman rural home. The excavations also revealed the complex spatial organization of the villa, typical of the large farms of the Roman era in Gaul.

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