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Merovingian glasses in Oloron Sainte-Marie

From Iluro to Oloron-Sainte-Marie. A millennium of history (Aquitania Supplement 29, Bordeaux, p.397-40)


From 1994 to 2006, Oloron Sainte-Marie was the subject of archaeological studies. Their results help to better understand the history of the city. These archaeological excavations brought to light two complete glasses discovered in sarcophagi located near the cathedral. The first was discovered in July 2004 and the second during the winter of 2004. These two glasses have been restored at the Musée d'Aquitaine in Bordeaux. These discoveries are exceptional because it is rare to find complete Merovingian glassworks in Aquitaine. To date, only six complete objects have been counted. Two magnificent Merovingian glasses are archaeologically complete. This archaeological study of the glasses gave rise to a communication during the symposium "From Iluro to Oloron-Sainte-Marie, a millennium of history". (Photos Catherine Hébrard-Salivas) One of these glasses is a stemmed glass and the other is an appendage jar. They are both dated to the 6th century. They are characterized by a decoration of white glass nets. The goblet The stemmed glass was blown into a mold and then on the fly. This is the reason why this glass has sixteen ribs in low relief turned to the right. It is made with a single parison. It is light olive green in color. The total height of the glass is 13.5 cm. Its general shape is asymmetrical: the opening is more flared on one side and the foot is offset from the axis of the container. The opening diameter is 8.3 cm. The lip is straight and slightly turned inwards. It measures 3.5mm thick. It was thickened by heating over a flame. The glass has many small round bubbles. Two large bubbles (tears) are included in the rumen. Nets of white glass are rolled up on the top of the body as well as on the second lower third of it. The top cords are no longer present, but there is their negative. The foot, with a diameter of 4 cm, is hemmed by pushing back the parison.



The appendix jar

The complete jar with appendages is in blown glass but the trace of the pontil under the object is not visible. The pot is translucent with a greenish/yellowish color. There are many small bubbles. The total height of the object is 7.8 cm. The lip is straight and slightly thickened by heating the opening over the flame. Its thickness is 3mm. The opening of the pot, flared in shape, has a diameter of 10.7 cm and the cylindrical neck is short. The belly has a flattened globular shape in its lower part and the bottom is re-entrant. The foot is made up of 7 rounded lugs, arranged in a circle under the object. They were made by stretching glass while the glass was still malleable. Their height is 5 mm and their width is 7 mm.

Stemmed glass can be compared to types 41 and 43 of the Feyeux classification. Type 41 is characterized by a burnt opening and a foot detached from the container. These glasses are green in color and they have white glass threads as decoration. This type of glass was also found in Belgium like the one discovered in tomb 76 in Vieuville. These glasses date from the second half of the 5th century to the middle of the 6th century. Type 43 corresponds to stemmed glasses with a streamlined leg and belly. This type is later than type 41 and dates from the middle of the 6th century to the middle of the 7th century. The Oloron goblet resembles these two types: it has a reburned opening and a foot which brings it closer to type 41, on the other hand it has a short leg which brings it closer to type 43 but it does not have a belly faired. These characteristics would make it possible to advance the hypothesis that it would be a late type 41, that is to say from the middle of the 6th century.



Possible comparisons

It is possible to compare the second glass to the pots with appendages that have been found in the northern half of France and in Belgium. In the east of France two pots have been listed. These are objects with a flattened globular body embellished with enamel threads belonging to type 91 of the Feyeux classification. It can be compared to the one found in 1975 in tomb 3b at Caulaincourt in the Aisne, during the laying of a gas pipeline. It measures 63 mm in height. Its upper diameter is 78 mm. The glass is transparent, slightly greenish and stringy. It has five small drawn feet. The cylindrical neck is short and the shoulder covered with fine strings of enamel. An identical decoration is on the lower part of the container. Irregular arcades connect each of the five appendages[4]. The second was discovered in 1978 at Saint-Dizier-Hoericourt "Aerial Base 113" in Haute Marne in tomb XVII which also contained two fibulae, an iron buckle, a bronze ring, a knife and three small bronze nails. This pot measures 65mm in height and has a top diameter of 81mm. The glass is very stringy greenish beige translucent. This pot rests on five feet drawn from the body. The cylindrical neck is short, asymmetrical and covered with fine strings of enamel. An identical decoration is on the lower third of the container. Arches are stitched at the base of each of the five appendages. These are arranged at irregular intervals. These two pots are dated between the end of the 5th century and the beginning of the 6th century. At Vicq in the Yvelines, this type of pot with appendages was accompanied by a bronze ring, pearls and a knife. It is made of transparent blown glass in yellow/pale green. It has a height of 58 mm and a top diameter of 82 mm. A thread of whitish enamel wraps in three turns around the neck then, after having crossed the body diagonally, runs over about 6 rows which gather at the level of the 7 feet.


These two objects have many similarities with those that have been discovered in the north and east of France as well as in Belgium. But, currently, our research has not made it possible to locate their place of manufacture. We can date them to the first half of the 6th century. The presence of these glasses in the sarcophagi denotes the high social status of the people buried.



Références : Hébrard-Salivas C., Study of two Merovingian glasses In, From Iluro to Oloron-Sainte-Marie. A millennium of history, Barraud D. Réchin F. (Dir), Aquitania Supplement 29, Bordeaux, 2013, p. 397-402.



Indicative bibliography

FEYEUX J.-Y., Le verre mérovingien du quart nord-est de la France, Paris, 2003. CABART H., FEYEUX J.-Y., Verres de Champagne, le verre à l’époque mérovingienne en Champagne-Ardenne, Reims, 1995, n°113. SERVAT E., Verre et merveilles, mille ans de verre dans le nord-ouest de la Gaule, Guiry-en-Vexin, 1993, p. 99, n°337.


Other photos of the goblet discovered by Luc Wozny in 2004 are available on the INRAP website : www.images-archeologie.fr

références iconothèques : 9694, 9695, 9696, 9697 (photos de Luc WOZNY)


(Photo 9696) Vue rapprochée du verre à pied "in situ" sur le fond du sarcophage










(Photo 9697) Verre à pied avant nettoyage









(photo 9694) Vue générale de la domus et des sarcophages découverts.









(photo 9695) Sarcophage après ouverture. Un verre à pied a été placé entre la paroi et la jambe droite du dernier individu déposé.

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