Archaeological remains
At the beginning of the 20th century, private collectors were fascinated by archaeology. However, artefacts were usually only seen as curiosities. When a museum opened in Nogent-sur-Seine in 1902, many private donors contributed with a variety of items, most of which disappeared during the Second World War.
In 1962, André Lemoine founded a local archaeological society, the Groupe Archéologique du Nogentais (GAN). This was a pivotal period for the emergence of archaeology as a scientific discipline and the excavations carried out by the GAN benefited from the latest techniques, notably through aerial photography. To preserve the archaeological material, the GAN was allocated a room in the former museum, which was still closed at the time. In return, they agreed to assist in its reopening, which finally took place in 1974.
In 1978, a young archaeologist, Jacques Piette, was appointed curator. He undertook extensive excavations in the area up until the 1990s, and made substantial contributions to the museum’s collections. Approximately 9 000 artefacts are now part of the collection of the Camille Claudel Museum. Notable archaeological sites include the tombs and dwellings of Les Grèves de Frécul (Neolithic), the funerary complex of Barbuise-La Saulsotte (Late Bronze Age), the Gallic sanctuary of La Villeneuve-au-Châtelot (Iron Age) and the Gallo-roman pottery workshops excavated nearby.
