POMAS-ET-ROUFFIAC
(Lagaste) Aude, France.
A pre-Roman emporium in the upper Aude valley,
is situated at the point where the Narbonne-Toulouse
road through Les Corbières crosses the road connecting
Carcassone with La Cerdagne. Occupied sporadically in
the Iron Age, the site gained importance towards the end
of the 2d c. B.C., its increased activity apparently coinciding with the founding of Narbonne. The emporium
then served as a relay station for distributing the new
colony's exports, mainly wine. The quantity of coins and
amphorae found on the site, along with luxury articles
(Italic oinochoai of bronze) bear witness to the prosperity of the market. It was short-lived, however: declining in the second half of the 1st c. B.C., probably after the trade roads were shifted, La Lagaste was almost totally deserted by the early 1st c. A.D.
The settlement, which was completely unfortified, is
spread out over some 60 ha. It was thinly settled; there
was no real urban center but merely groups of huts scattered about in no apparent order. Most of these are built
of perishable materials and contain silos; in the NW section they are connected with potter's kilns and there was
probably also a place of worship. The S section contains
an incineration necropolis with pits; a funerary well has
also been found, a sign of Volcaean influence. The finds
are housed at Limoux.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
G. Rancoule, “L'oppidum protohistorique de La Lagaste,”
Cahiers Ligures de Préhistoire et
d'Archéologie 14 (1965) 49-70; id., “Ateliers de potiers
et céramique indigène au ler siècle av. J.C.,”
Revue Archéologique de Narbonnaise 3 (1970) 33-70;
Gallia 29 (1971) 376.
Y. SOLIER
