Abstract
The Les Conques site in Lansargues was identified by prospecting in the 1980s. In addition to evidence of prehistory and protohistory, the site also yielded ancient furniture suggesting a modest settlement. While the existence of a Gallo-Roman settlement was confirmed by two diagnostic surveys in 2018 and 2021, only its western fringe was concerned by the ZAC des Conques excavation. The operation revealed the end of a building that had been severely levelled, as well as two large pits, several ditches, an enclosure and a well. The site is so deteriorated (by ploughing?) that it is difficult to characterize the settlement. However, a few clues suggest that the western part of the site was used for agricultural activities. A (vast) dolium cellar covering some 120 m², combined with small rooms with concrete floors framing a vat, give the impression of technical rather than areas designed for leisure. The combination of dolium and vat naturally points to viticultural activities, even if this is impossible to confirm at this stage. The presence of a few vineyard planting pits in the excavation area might suggest this, but none were identified in the surrounding trenches during the latest surveys. In contrast, the ceramic assemblage refers more to a context of consumption than production. The presence of fragments of painted plaster and glassware would support this view, as would the absence of artisanal furniture such as loom weight. All of which suggests that this settlement appeared in the 1st century AD and was abandoned in the early 3rd century AD at the latest, as was the case for many ancient settlements in this northern sector of the Étang de l'Or. However, there are signs that the site may have been reoccupied, or at least that activities took place around 400 AD. A well has been blocked up and former depressions have been completely erased from the landscape. Should we imagine a hiatus between Antiquity and the early Middle Ages, or should we rather see the relocation of occupation to just a stone's throw away? While information on the ancient settlement of Les Conques is still incomplete, it is worth noting the similarities with the better-documented neighboring sites of Les Aubettes in Mudaison and La Font in Mauguio 3. All three appeared ex nihilo at the beginning of the 1st century AD, and their activity seems to have been strongly oriented towards viticulture. Only production areas such as cellars and vats have been identified, as have the surrounding fields, mainly vineyards. The presence of a habitat is also inferred, in the absence of observation, even if their standing is not necessarily at the same level. Should the Les Conques site be considered as a relatively well-developed agrarian exploitation or rather as a modest farm? The question remains open.