Les installations hydrauliques antiques de Château-Bas, à Vernègues (Bouches-du-Rhône)

Abstract

On the site of Château-Bas, near Vernègues (Bouches-du-Rhône, France), about 25 km north of Aix-en-Provence, an hydraulic setup - huge room for water harnessing, acqueduct and basin - have been identified. Though located a few meters from the Augustean temple still erected on the site, thèse installations were built before the temple, as suggested by the stone cutting techniques, the size of the blocks or the dry joint masonry used for their construction. After comparing them with other regional hydraulic installations - water supplying of Glanum in particular - we could date this original setup from 150 to 50 BC and suppose that an ancient building devoted to water - a sanctuary? - motivated the construction of a large sanctuary at the beginning of the imperial period.