Archaeology

The Montans site, positioned on a spur overlooking the Tarn, has been occupied since prehistoric times, first episodically, then continuously around 800 BC. During the Iron Age (750-50 BC), it became part of the territory of the Rutènes, a powerful Gallic people who controlled a vast area now corresponding to the departments of Aveyron and Tarn.

In Gallo-Roman times, Montans continued to benefit from its strategic location and became one of the main centers for the production of sigillated ceramics in the Roman Empire. This high-quality ceramic with its characteristic red color is industrially produced and exported mainly along the Atlantic seaboard, from the UK to northern Spain.

Open the doors of the museum and meet the Gallo-Roman potters, through archaeological objects and life-size reconstructions. You’ll discover how these ancient techniques formed a highly lucrative trade, as illustrated in the treasure room by the monetary deposit of 40 gold coins, while the wine amphorae, both Italian and Gallic, will take you back to the origins of the history of wine in Gaul.