A major archaeological discovery in southeastern France is shedding new light on the medieval history of the region. Excavations in the city of Valence have uncovered a large early Christian burial site, along with the remains of a previously unknown religious building dating from the early Middle Ages.
The find was made on Rue Peloux after a chance discovery reported at the end of 2024. An initial assessment by the regional archaeology service (DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) led to a full excavation carried out by INRAP beginning last October. The site has since revealed over 200 graves and the remains of a substantial structure, likely linked to early Christian worship or burial practices.
At the heart of the discovery is a large east-facing building, almost entirely dismantled in later centuries, with its stone materials removed. Despite this, archaeologists were able to reconstruct much of its original layout from surviving traces.
The structure appears to have featured a nave and transept, measuring about 4 metres in width, with an estimated total length of 22 metres. Particularly striking is its apse: a triple semicircular design, including a central apse approximately 4.5 metres in diameter and a smaller northern apse of around 3 metres. Two of these apses were identified through spoliation trenches—evidence of later stone removal.
While the exact function of the building remains uncertain, archaeologists suggest it may have been either a church or a funerary basilica. The earliest burials at the site date to the 7th century, placing the structure firmly within the early medieval period. Its destruction likely occurred much later, after the final phase of burials in the 15th or 16th centuries.
Surrounding the building, archaeologists uncovered a densely packed cemetery containing 213 excavated graves, with at least 224 individuals identified in situ and an additional hundred represented by secondary burials.
The graves show a wide variety of burial practices. Among them are 41 constructed tombs—including tile coffins, stone coffins, masonry-built graves, and mixed forms—as well as 14 simpler pit burials. Many others remain under study and may be further classified as analysis continues.
The cemetery layout reveals distinct burial patterns. Numerous graves were concentrated along the eastern end of the building and beside its north wall. Notably, a large proportion of children and infants were buried in this northern area, although it was not exclusively reserved for them.
Analysis of the skeletal remains suggests a population with mortality patterns typical of the medieval period. Of those buried, around 130 were adults, while approximately 80 were children. A significant number of these children—between 34 and 42—were under the age of five, offering valuable insight into childhood mortality in medieval communities.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the excavation is the discovery of multiple graves containing several individuals buried at the same time. Eight such structures were identified, holding a total of 34 individuals, with between two and eleven people interred together.
These collective burials strongly suggest the impact of an epidemic event. Radiocarbon dating places these graves in the 15th to 16th centuries—a period when southern France experienced repeated outbreaks of plague following the Black Death. However, researchers caution that other diseases, including smallpox, typhus, or dysentery, may also have been responsible. Further scientific analysis will be needed to determine the exact cause.
A major archaeological discovery in southeastern France is shedding new light on the medieval history of the region. Excavations in the city of Valence have uncovered a large early Christian burial site, along with the remains of a previously unknown religious building dating from the early Middle Ages.
The find was made on Rue Peloux after a chance discovery reported at the end of 2024. An initial assessment by the regional archaeology service (DRAC Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) led to a full excavation carried out by INRAP beginning last October. The site has since revealed over 200 graves and the remains of a substantial structure, likely linked to early Christian worship or burial practices.
A Lost Medieval Building Emerges
At the heart of the discovery is a large east-facing building, almost entirely dismantled in later centuries, with its stone materials removed. Despite this, archaeologists were able to reconstruct much of its original layout from surviving traces.
The structure appears to have featured a nave and transept, measuring about 4 metres in width, with an estimated total length of 22 metres. Particularly striking is its apse: a triple semicircular design, including a central apse approximately 4.5 metres in diameter and a smaller northern apse of around 3 metres. Two of these apses were identified through spoliation trenches—evidence of later stone removal.
While the exact function of the building remains uncertain, archaeologists suggest it may have been either a church or a funerary basilica. The earliest burials at the site date to the 7th century, placing the structure firmly within the early medieval period. Its destruction likely occurred much later, after the final phase of burials in the 15th or 16th centuries.
A Cemetery Spanning Centuries
Surrounding the building, archaeologists uncovered a densely packed cemetery containing 213 excavated graves, with at least 224 individuals identified in situ and an additional hundred represented by secondary burials.
The graves show a wide variety of burial practices. Among them are 41 constructed tombs—including tile coffins, stone coffins, masonry-built graves, and mixed forms—as well as 14 simpler pit burials. Many others remain under study and may be further classified as analysis continues.
The cemetery layout reveals distinct burial patterns. Numerous graves were concentrated along the eastern end of the building and beside its north wall. Notably, a large proportion of children and infants were buried in this northern area, although it was not exclusively reserved for them.
Analysis of the skeletal remains suggests a population with mortality patterns typical of the medieval period. Of those buried, around 130 were adults, while approximately 80 were children. A significant number of these children—between 34 and 42—were under the age of five, offering valuable insight into childhood mortality in medieval communities.
Evidence of a Possible Epidemic
One of the most intriguing aspects of the excavation is the discovery of multiple graves containing several individuals buried at the same time. Eight such structures were identified, holding a total of 34 individuals, with between two and eleven people interred together.
These collective burials strongly suggest the impact of an epidemic event. Radiocarbon dating places these graves in the 15th to 16th centuries—a period when southern France experienced repeated outbreaks of plague following the Black Death. However, researchers caution that other diseases, including smallpox, typhus, or dysentery, may also have been responsible. Further scientific analysis will be needed to determine the exact cause.
Top Image: The burials are arranged around the large apse of the head of the bed. © Flore Giraud, Inrap
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