Archaeologists unearthed a massive ancient Roman villa, along the right bank of the Yonne river, just under two miles away from Autessiodurum or present-day Auxerre, France, according to the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP).
The team was excavating an area of approximately four acres at Sainte-Nitasse, which is part of the larger Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.
Though experts have been aware of the site since the 19th century, there were no active excavations until a gravel pit was dug in 1966, when the ruins were discovered.
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There, they found a more than 7,500-square-foot rectangular building, complete with ten rooms, one of which featured an apse. The walls were made of rubble, funerary stele fragments, and columns. Inside, the team found hypocausts or underfloor heating and spaces where they believe there were once mosaics. Furniture dated between the 1st and 4th centuries CE.
Since then, archaeologists have been working on uncovering the same 43,000-square-foot building, which they now believe is likely a wing of a much larger settlement that would have belonged to wealthy, affluent people.
Thus far, they have identified a perimeter wall around the west, north, and east sides of the structure around a square 4,800-square-foot garden, which is enclosed by basin at the north side and a fountain along the south. Off of the garden are a number of reception and working rooms, including a possible kitchen. True to Roman living, there are also thermal baths in the eastern wing of the massive building.
Within the large settlement, there appears to be both a residential sector known as pars urbana and an an agricultural sector known as pars rustica, which traditionally support the owner and a manager to oversee the dwelling.
Autessiodurum started as a settlement at the beginning of the first century CE, before it grew to become a capital city in the 4th century CE. Researchers are currently trying to determine the number of phases the city underwent between that time frame. They subsequently plan to study the remains to better understand daily life within the settlement.
The site is slated to open to the public on June 15, with archaeologist-led tours, in honor of European Archaeology Days.