Did you know that the Loir-et-Cher is home to a remarkably well-preserved Gallo-Roman site in the Centre Val de Loire region? At Thésée, you'll find a complex known as Les Mazelles, dating back to the 2nd century AD. Surprisingly, its walls are still standing, sometimes reaching up to 7 metres in height. These walls were built from finely cut local stone, bound in a mortar made from lime and Cher sand, a composition that has stood the test of time remarkably well. This is a rare testimony that you can admire on site.
The precise function of this site is still somewhat uncertain, but it seems likely to have been used for commercial and possibly civil purposes. Les Mazelles was part of Tasciaca, a secondary settlement encompassing the communes of Thésée, Pouillé and Monthou-sur-Cher. In Pouillé, on the other side of the Cher, the remains of an ancient temple and pottery workshop can still be seen.
The Mazelles site was rediscovered in 1965 by Maurice Druon, an academician who bought the plot of land to protect it from looting and destruction. Current research into Tasciaca has provided a wealth of fascinating information, as well as objects discovered during the excavations. After visiting the site, you can explore the museum dedicated to Tasciaca, which exhibits a remarkable collection of local pottery, providing significant testimony to daily life.
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