Scientific events

From March 2026, the Semur Society of Sciences (SSS) and the MuséoParc Alésia are joining forces to present a new series of lectures focusing on the latest developments in Gallic and Gallo-Roman archaeology in France.

From March to October, six lectures will mark the season, offering the public the opportunity to discover the latest advances in archaeological research. Aimed at residents of the Côte-d’Or as well as members of the SSS, history enthusiasts, teachers and students, this series is designed to be both scientifically rigorous and accessible to a wide audience.

Guest researchers and specialists will present the main recent discoveries and current issues in archaeology, thereby contributing to a better understanding of Gallic and Gallo-Roman societies.
Beyond its academic programme, this series of lectures builds on the historical link between the Semur Society of Sciences and the Alésia Museum. It also helps to further establish the Alésia site within the network of major French archaeological sites, by affirming its role as a place for the dissemination and sharing of knowledge.

The tomb of the Celtic prince of Lavau is undoubtedly one of the most significant archaeological discoveries in Europe over the last twenty years. A prominent figure from the Celtic aristocracy was buried there alongside numerous rare and precious artefacts. The speaker, Bastien Dubuis, an archaeologist at INRAP, will guide us through the treasures unearthed in this burial site – treasures which completely transform our understanding of the funerary practices of the great lords of the late Early Iron Age, in the middle of the first millennium BC.

Situated near Mont-Auxois, Mont-Lassois is one of the most famous sites in Europe for princely settlements from the late Early Iron Age. On 5 January 1953, Maurice Moisson unearthed the ‘mesmerising’ handle of a large bronze cauldron, heralding a major discovery from the Celtic period, now known as the tomb of the Lady of Vix. The last thirty years of research devoted to this Hallstattian principality have made it possible to place this burial within its social context by examining the settlement, the fortification system and the environment in all their forms. Bruno Chaume, an archaeologist at the CNRS, will present the latest discoveries made at the site.

Until recently, independent Gaul was known only through the account given by Caesar during the war of conquest he waged from 58 to 50 BC. Whilst this famous text remains the essential source for tracing the sequence of events, archaeology now enables us to view the proconsul’s account with a different, and sometimes critical, eye. A selection of examples – amongst which, of course, the siege of Alesia features prominently – will illustrate this comparison between one of antiquity’s most famous texts and the reality on the ground, as evidenced by archaeological finds. Booking recommended here

Two further lectures will follow, on Saturday 29 August and Saturday 7 November: these will provide further insight into the excavations carried out over the summer at the oppidum of Alesia, and into an extraordinary Gallo-Roman wooden ceiling discovered in the sanctuary of Apollo at Saint-Martin-au-Val, near Chartres.

Jusqu’à une époque récente, la Gaule indépendante n’a été connue que par le tableau qu’en a dressé César à l’occasion de la guerre de conquête qu’il a menée de 58 à 50 avant J.-C. Si ce texte célèbre reste la source incontournable qui permet de suivre le fil des événements, l’archéologie permet aujourd’hui de considérer avec un œil différent, parfois critique, le récit du proconsul. Quelques exemples choisis, parmi lesquels, bien sûr, le siège d’Alésia tient une place de choix, permettront d’illustrer cette confrontation entre l’un des textes les plus célèbres de l’Antiquité et la réalité du terrain, telle qu’on peut l’observer dans le sol. Réservation conseillée ici

Deux autres conférences suivront, les samedi 29 août et 7 novembre : elles permettront d’en savoir plus sur les fouilles faites durant l’été sur l’oppidum d’Alésia, et sur un extraordinaire plafond de bois gallo-romain découvert dans le sanctuaire d’Apollon à Saint-Martin-au-Val, près de Chartres.