Cultural sponsorship
Showcasing archaeological discoveries
As a contributor to
regional development, we play an active role in discovery of
archaeological assets. Our companies' work brings to light major
discoveries. In 2006, we decided to structure this role by setting up a
rescue archaeology task force to identify the contribution made by our
subsidiaries to scientific knowledge.
Archaeology: very rich deposits
Whenever substantial work is programmed on its network, Escota applies very early on to the archaeological department of the DRAC (regional cultural affairs directorate) to find out whether any archaeological digs are scheduled on the land concerned. If the State decides to launch a preliminary evaluation ("mini" dig entrusted to INRAP) and this evaluation suggests the need to carry out more extensive work, Escota must then commission it to be undertaken – by archaeologists approved by the Ministry of Culture – and bear all the related costs. For the four sites chosen for the Châteauneuf-le-Rouge/Saint-Maximin section, the financial investment, from preliminary evaluation to analysis, comes to over €1 million. At Saint-Maximin, the digs, carried out by two operators, the Centre Archéologique du Var and Oxford Archaeology, uncovered cooking and metal-smelting pits, silos for food storage, remains of houses and tombs, one of which contained the body of a woman and funerary ornaments, while others contained dogs in positions characteristic of burial rituals or sacrifices. All these discoveries date back to around 3000 years BC and are currently being analysed by the CNRS (French centre for scientific research) and university laboratories.
Pottery and hearths discovered on other sites will contribute to a better understanding of the different periods of human occupancy. This heritage, which belongs to the State, will be described in an exhaustive report to be published one year from now and a three-way communication from the State, Escota and the archaeological teams.
Palaentology: surprising discoveries
Palaentological digs are launched on the advice of the DIREN (regional environment directorate), although there is no accompanying obligation to carry out the work. Nevertheless, given that the area around the future A8 motorway widening worksite is known for its dinosaur remains and in accordance with its policy of respecting the natural environment, Escota signed a partnership convention with an organisation representing local communities and the Aix en Provence Natural History Museum to explore some 10 sites within the scope of the works.
A team from the museum worked for several months on two successive digs between Châteauneuf-le-Rouge and Saint-Maximin. Palaeontologists discovered a large number of rare fossils in a remarkably good state of preservation and hence of great value to researchers: a pterosaur bone (the first ever evidence of the presence of this flying reptile in the Aix-en-Provence region), a titanosaur (giant lizard) femur measuring 1.30m, the finest mammal jaw ever discovered in Europe, remains of dinosaur eggs, turtle and crocodile bones and hundreds of teeth from fish, small sharks and alligators.
All these discoveries required many hours of fieldwork, extraction and very meticulous cleaning.
Archaeology: very rich deposits
Whenever substantial work is programmed on its network, Escota applies very early on to the archaeological department of the DRAC (regional cultural affairs directorate) to find out whether any archaeological digs are scheduled on the land concerned. If the State decides to launch a preliminary evaluation ("mini" dig entrusted to INRAP) and this evaluation suggests the need to carry out more extensive work, Escota must then commission it to be undertaken – by archaeologists approved by the Ministry of Culture – and bear all the related costs. For the four sites chosen for the Châteauneuf-le-Rouge/Saint-Maximin section, the financial investment, from preliminary evaluation to analysis, comes to over €1 million. At Saint-Maximin, the digs, carried out by two operators, the Centre Archéologique du Var and Oxford Archaeology, uncovered cooking and metal-smelting pits, silos for food storage, remains of houses and tombs, one of which contained the body of a woman and funerary ornaments, while others contained dogs in positions characteristic of burial rituals or sacrifices. All these discoveries date back to around 3000 years BC and are currently being analysed by the CNRS (French centre for scientific research) and university laboratories.
Pottery and hearths discovered on other sites will contribute to a better understanding of the different periods of human occupancy. This heritage, which belongs to the State, will be described in an exhaustive report to be published one year from now and a three-way communication from the State, Escota and the archaeological teams.
Palaentology: surprising discoveries
Palaentological digs are launched on the advice of the DIREN (regional environment directorate), although there is no accompanying obligation to carry out the work. Nevertheless, given that the area around the future A8 motorway widening worksite is known for its dinosaur remains and in accordance with its policy of respecting the natural environment, Escota signed a partnership convention with an organisation representing local communities and the Aix en Provence Natural History Museum to explore some 10 sites within the scope of the works.
A team from the museum worked for several months on two successive digs between Châteauneuf-le-Rouge and Saint-Maximin. Palaeontologists discovered a large number of rare fossils in a remarkably good state of preservation and hence of great value to researchers: a pterosaur bone (the first ever evidence of the presence of this flying reptile in the Aix-en-Provence region), a titanosaur (giant lizard) femur measuring 1.30m, the finest mammal jaw ever discovered in Europe, remains of dinosaur eggs, turtle and crocodile bones and hundreds of teeth from fish, small sharks and alligators.
All these discoveries required many hours of fieldwork, extraction and very meticulous cleaning.