Mediolanum: Roman Saintes

To strengthen ties with our twin town of Saintes, we have teamed up with the Musée Archéologique, to bring an exhibition of Roman archaeology to Salisbury. In return Salisbury Museum has sent some of its extensive Stonehenge collection to Saintes. Saintes is on the bank of the Charente River – about 100kms north of Bordeaux. Like Salisbury it has an exceptional history – in Saintes dating back to the Gallo-Roman period. The city is full of well preserved Roman remains including an amphitheatre, a monumental arch, thermal baths, an aqueduct and ramparts. The Salisbury exhibition celebrates the wealth of Roman archaeology in Saintes. Displays include bronze fittings from a chariot, a selection of pottery and prints and paintings of the town’s Roman monuments. The Musée Archéologique has also provided an impressive group of photographs of the monuments, which show how amazingly well preserved they are when compared to similar sites in Britain. In Saintes the exhibition focuses on the prehistoric finds from the Stonehenge landscape. Objects include stone mauls used to build Stonehenge and an antler pick used to dig the ditches of the henge at Durrington Walls. The museum has also lent an extensive collection of 19th and 20th century paintings and prints of the monument. The exhibition at Saintes runs until May 2014.

Source: http://www.culture24.org.uk//sw000128?id=EVENT457481