Frederic Auth

We would have expected a large open space, maybe with some administrative buildings on it.

But yeah, we were pretty much surprised that this was not the case.

but a rather large sanctuary.

And this sanctuary was site to some really interesting rituals.

Tell us exactly what you found on the site.

So, this is still pretty much work in progress, so we do not know about everything which has happened there, but there are some very interesting markers.

What's most striking are close to 100 shafts and pits, which have been used for some kind of sacrifice.

We're not talking human sacrifice here, there's a different story to that, but we're talking about sacrifices people did to

to trade, quote-unquote, with a deity.

So I give you something, and the deity gives something back for me.

And those pits have been used to deposit those ritual remains, which belong to the goddess.

So when you say sacrifices, are you talking pigs and goats and calves and that sort of thing, that if a farmer or a wealthy person was able to sacrifice one of these, throw it into a pit, and then ask the god for something, they're more likely to say yes?

Mostly, yes.

So when Romans sacrificed, or Gallo-Romans in this case, they kind of drew up a contract.

Oh, really?

They were very good with their records.

They would do the Romans.

They would say, whatever the Romans do for us.

They were great with note-taking.

Yeah, essentially, yes.