An ancient wall discovered beneath Paris has been described as a "major breakthrough" by France's culture ministry. This archaeological find may confirm the location of the city's original settlement.
A roughly 20-metre (65ft) stretch of wall, dating from the Gallo-Roman period, was found this summer beneath a building on the Île de la Cité, near Notre Dame Cathedral. The stone-and-wood structure is thought to be a fragment of the ramparts of Lutetia, the ancient name for Paris, built by the Gallic Parisii tribe.
The Île de la Cité has traditionally been considered the centre of Lutetia, though a rival theory suggests Nanterre. France's culture minister, Catherine Pégard, stated on Wednesday that they "may be looking at one of the most important remains ever discovered for understanding Gallic Lutetia." She added that scientific caution requires verifying its function and chronology, but the convergence of evidence is "particularly remarkable at this stage."
The wall, uncovered during excavations beneath the Hôtel-Dieu hospital, shows traces of fire. This may correspond to Julius Caesar's account that the Gauls set fire to their town before the Battle of Lutetia against the Romans. Carbon dating of charred evidence dates the find to between 200BC and 10BC, a timeframe that includes the 52BC battle.