Ever wonder what life was like here over two thousand years ago? This is the Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel. It is a fortified Celto-Ligurian site. Imagine a bustling village atop this plateau. It was inhabited by the Ségobriges people.
Let’s step back in time. It’s the 6th century BC. The Celto-Ligurian people are building their homes here. The Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel becomes their stronghold. They chose this location wisely. The plateau rises over 167 meters. A steep cliff on the west provides natural defense.
The other sides have a constructed enclosure. This was built in the second quarter of the 6th century BC. The Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel was strategically located. It lies between the Étoile chain to the north and the Saint-Cyr massif to the south. The Huveaune valley narrows here creating a passage.
Archaeological excavations reveal much about the Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel. Henry de Gérin-Ricard first excavated in 1930. Paul Agostini studied the site extensively. He published his findings in a thesis. It was titled “The pre-Roman Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel in Marseille”. Guy Rayssiguier and C. Guichard continued the work.
Initially, some thought it was a Massaliote surveillance post. It would protect Marseille. However, evidence suggests it was an indigenous habitat. It had close ties to Marseille. But it was not necessarily under its control.
The rampart of the Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel is impressive. It shows several alterations after its initial construction. The rampart used local techniques. It combined a curtain wall with an ovoid tower. The north rampart has a 2.5-meter-thick curtain. It is built with irregular blocks of tufa. Each block measures about 0.6 x 0.5 meters.
Inside the Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel, homes were simple. Starting in the second half of the 6th century BC, they built single-room dwellings. These averaged about 12 square meters. Construction methods remained consistent. Walls had two facings of tufa rubble. They were bound by clay.
Occupation of the Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel occurred over centuries. Around 575 BC, they built the first defensive rampart. This system was reinforced until the end of the 4th century BC. Between the mid-4th and early 2nd centuries BC, occupation decreased. But the site was not entirely abandoned.
There was a revival between -150 and the last quarter of the 2nd century BC. Then the settlement was permanently abandoned. This happened toward the end of the 2nd century BC.
Material remains tell us about life in the Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel. Non-wheel-turned pottery is most common. Common forms include urns, cups, and bowls. Wheel-turned regional ceramics are also present. These include monochrome gray ceramics and local light paste ceramics. They imitated Campanian vases. Mediterranean imports are also found. Until the early 5th century BC, imports came from Greece and Etruria. Later, Attic productions became dominant. Black-glazed ceramics and red-figure vases are examples. The end of the 2nd century BC saw the arrival of Italic productions. Campanian ceramics were part of that. Iberian imports are rare. A few gray ceramics from the Catalan coast are present. Painted Iberian vases are also occasionally found.
Today, the Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel is a historical monument. It was listed on August 23, 1990. The site opens to the public during heritage days. Exceptional guided tours also take place. As you stand here, remember the people. They once lived and thrived in this ancient village. The Oppidum des Baou de Saint-Marcel is a window into their world.