Aventicum (Avenches), capital of the Helvetii : A history of research, 1985-2010. Part II. Urban development after A.D. 100, crafts, and finds

This paper summarizes recent research carried out under the direction of the author into the urban development in the city of Aventicum from the 2nd century A.D. to the Early Middle Ages. She mentions a geometric black-and-white mosaic (terminus post quem A.D. 120) which paved the floor of an assembly hall (schola) situated in the forum (p. 265-266, with fig. 4), and the existence of a large number of mosaics and traces of wall-painting in the residential buildings which are indicative of alterations and renovations carried out during the 2nd and 3rd centuries (p. 269). Moreover, the author alludes to a black-and-white mosaic floor and wall-paintings which adorned a summer triclinium of the so-called “Derrière la Tour” palace, which dates from the first half of the 2nd century; other wall-paintings were situated in the porticoes. She also refers to the mosaic floor – the largest known in modern Switzerland – with a central medallion depicting Bacchus and Ariadne, which was laid after a fire that affected that palace in the 2nd century (p. 269). When describing crafts and small finds, the author notes some stylistic connexions between the mosaics and paintings of Aventicum with those which appeared at other sites (p. 288-290).