Narbonne/Narbo Martius, située au croisement de voies maritimes, fluviales et terrestres, a été un lieu d’échanges entre la Méditerranée et l’Atlantique dès le iie s. av. J.-C. Son système portuaire, qui s’est constamment adapté aux contraintes environnementales, inclut un port urbain ainsi que des avant-ports autour des étangs de Bages/Sigean, situés à 4 km au sud de la ville. L’Aude, l’Atax antique, est mentionnée par les auteurs anciens comme une voie commerciale majeure. Le projet collectif de recherche sur les ports antiques de Narbonne a permis de réaliser des fouilles de grande ampleur sur son embouchure ; celle-ci fut canalisée au cours du ier s. apr. J.-C. et abandonnée à partir du ve s. apr. J.-C. Elle était le lieu du transbordement des marchandises depuis les navires hauturiers vers des bateaux fluviaux comme l’illustre la découverte de l’épave Mandirac 1. Rarement observée en Méditerranée, l’utilisation du bois est ici bien attestée pour les nombreuses constructions réalisées en milieu humide. Les pieux, palées et caissons vont servir à aménager les berges et à construire des digues encadrant le passage du cours d’eau dans la lagune. Si les bois se retrouvent sur l’ensemble du tracé, leur implantation s’adapte aux variations du substrat et aux contraintes physiques micro-locales (houle, courant, vent). Le maintien des ouvrages sur la longue durée implique des phases de modifications et de reconstructions. L’objectif de cet article est de mieux comprendre les choix et la variété des techniques mises en œuvre dans le cadre de ces aménagements fluviaux et portuaires.
Narbonne/Narbo Martius is located at the crossroads of sea routes, waterways and overland roads and it was a place of exchange between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic as early as the 2nd c. BC. Its port system, which has constantly adapted to environmental constraints, included an urban port as well as outports around the Bages and Sigean ponds, located 4 km south of the city. The Aude river, the ancient Atax, is mentioned by ancient authors as a major trade route. The collective research project studying the ancient ports of Narbonne/Narbo Martius led to large-scale excavations at the river mouth; it was channelled during the 1st c. AD and abandoned during the 5th c. AD. It was the place where goods were transhipped from deep-sea vessels to river boats, as illustrated by the discovery of the Mandirac 1 wreck. Rarely observed in the Mediterranean, the use of timber is well documented here for the numerous constructions built in wetlands. The piles, bents and caissons were used to develop the banks and to build dykes framing the passage of the watercourse in the lagoon. Although the wooden pieces are found along the entire route, their location is adapted to variations in the substrate and to the microlocal physical constraints (swell, current, wind). The maintenance of the structures over the long term implies phases of modification and reconstruction. The aim of this article is to better understand the choices and the variety of techniques used in the context of these river and port developments. In order to illustrate the diversity of use of these timbers in a port context, three points are addressed: - their use for building in wetlands during the 1st c. AD; - the phases of reconstruction/repair, especially during Late Antiquity ; - finally, the remains of a probable unloading machine. The first dykes are made up of alignments of planks supported by piles, stabilising the sand levees along the river. Despite the proven continuity of these alignments over 1.70 km there are variations in their use and in the typology of the piles used. In the most fragile area, upstream, the dyke is made up of two parallel alignments of piles, forming a linear structure with a double facing. This system has only been observed in this sector, where the pressure exerted by the river is undoubtedly the strongest, as it is located at a southward bend of the river. Downstream, a significant change in the construction pattern is observed with the installation of a well-built pier on the lagoon side, while the river banks are developed with riprap based on a network of piles and planks. Near a building on the right bank there are indications that something was fastened to the ground; this could have been one or more lifting devices. Although the discovery of these wooden elements still leaves many questions unanswered, it allows us to envisage the wealth of activities and techniques carried out in the port area in Antiquity. The specificity of this dossier is based on the multi-functional aspect of the facilities observed: channelling, protecting, maintaining a transfer space, etc. The principle of aligning piles, planks and caissons is a constant factor –although with variants– in the construction and maintenance of these dykes over several centuries. The longevity and therefore the wearing-out of these constructions led to repairs, the most significant of which were made during Late Antiquity. The use of timber over the five centuries during which these dykes were in use provides us with information on the resources and means used to maintain the infrastructure of the port of Narbonne/Narbo Martius.
