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Archaeologists in Paris recently unearthed an ancient wall that may belong to a long-lost city — potentially solving a centuries-old mystery dating back to the times of Julius Caesar.
The discovery was recently announced by the French Ministry of Culture.
In a translated statement, officials said a wall discovered in the courtyard of the Hôtel-Dieu hospital — just a stone’s throw away from Notre Dame Cathedral in the city’s 4th arrondissement — might have belonged to the ancient city of Lutetia.
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The excavation, which began in February, was conducted ahead of a “major redevelopment project,” officials said.
“Researchers initially expected to uncover traces of ancient dwellings, roads, or settlements dating to the medieval and early modern periods,” the translated statement read.
Archaeologists in Paris have uncovered an ancient stone-and-timber wall that may help solve a centuries-old mystery surrounding the lost Gallic settlement of Lutetia. (Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images)
“Instead, alongside those remains, they discovered a stone-and-timber wall characteristic of ancient Gallic fortifications.”
The settlement was mentioned by Julius Caesar in his writings, particularly “The Gallic Wars” — but no conclusive archaeological evidence confirmed its location until now.
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In a statement, French Culture Minister Catherine Pégard said officials “may be looking at one of the most important discoveries ever made in understanding Gallic Lutetia.
“Scientific caution still requires us to verify its function and chronology, but the convergence of evidence is particularly remarkable,” added Pégard.
French archaeologists believe a roughly 66-foot wall discovered in central Paris may have belonged to the ancient Gallic settlement described in the writings of Julius Caesar (seen above right). (Simon Wohlfahrt / AFP via Getty Images; De Agostini via Getty Images)
Photos from the excavation show large, weathered stone blocks stacked in uneven rows.
The wall, which stretches roughly 66 feet, bears evidence of a major fire, while radiocarbon testing of wooden elements found at the site suggests they date to between 200 B.C. and 10 B.C.
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Researchers believe the structure may have served as a defensive fortification for the Gauls.
The wall’s stonework showed signs of fire damage, while archaeologists also uncovered burned seeds and the remains of a charred wooden building nearby.
The ancient wall features large stone blocks and interlocking wooden beams, a construction method that researchers say is characteristic of Gallic defensive fortifications. (Simon Wohlfahrt/AFP via Getty Images)
Caesar’s account indicated the Gallic Parisii tribe burned its own fortified settlement in 52 B.C. to prevent it from falling into Roman hands.
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Dorothée Chaoui-Derieux, a Paris archaeology official at DRAC Île-de-France, said the fire damage is precisely what strengthened researchers’ suspicions that the wall might belong to the ancient settlement described by Julius Caesar.
“Today, with this wall and its archaeological context, we may finally hold the key to solving the mystery.”
“The architecture of the wall, with its large stone blocks and system of interlocking wooden beams, very quickly made us think of a wall built in the Gallic tradition,” she said in the statement.
Due to the redevelopment project, the ancient wall cannot remain at its original location, officials said.
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Instead, researchers plan to reconstruct part of the wall using original stones, with hopes of eventually displaying it in a Paris museum.
According to Julius Caesar’s account, the Gallic Parisii tribe burned its fortified settlement in 52 B.C. to prevent it from falling into Roman hands. (iStock; Simon Wohlfahrt / AFP via Getty Images)
Looking ahead, researchers plan to conduct further excavations to determine the wall’s age and purpose.
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They will also investigate the platform behind the structure and any remains buried beneath it.
Stéphane Deschamps, regional archaeological conservator at the DRAC Île-de-France, said that the discovery “fills a gap in the archaeological record.”
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“Because of the lack of tangible evidence on the Île de la Cité, some even suggested that it was located in Nanterre,” Deschamps said.
“Today, with this wall and its archaeological context, we may finally hold the key to solving the mystery.”