Prehistoric Avignon: the Rocher des Doms and its stele

History of Avignon Prehistory Before Rome Gallo-Roman Avignon Late antiquity Early Middle Ages The medieval commune The papal move The papal court Western Schism Legates Wars of Religion Altera Roma Eighteenth century Union with France Napoleon Nineteenth century Twentieth century Early twenty-first century

The Rocher des Doms preserves early traces of human occupation. The stele discovered on this height is one of the best-known objects from Avignon’s prehistoric past.

The Rocher des Doms, a hilltop site

Rising about thirty metres, the Rocher des Doms overlooks the Rhône and the plain. Its position offers a natural refuge above flood-prone ground. Archaeological discoveries shed light on the early occupation of this height.

The Rocher des Doms in Avignon © Vincent Flachaire

The first farmers appeared in Provence during the sixth millennium BC. Excavations on the Rocher des Doms document occupation in the late Neolithic. These communities farmed, raised livestock and participated in exchange networks.

The Neolithic stele

The small anthropomorphic stele found during excavations in 1960–1961 dates to around 3500 BC. It depicts a highly stylised face. Preserved in the Institut Calvet collections, it is a major object from this period in Avignon.

Anthropomorphic stele, Musée Calvet, Avignon © Vincent Flachaire

The meaning of its motifs remains debated. They require cautious interpretation: the stele bears witness to symbolic practices but does not allow its makers’ beliefs to be reconstructed with certainty.

Early metals and exchange

Copper working developed in the late Neolithic, before bronze. Exchanges of raw materials already connected distant territories. The Rhône Valley provided a route between inland areas and the Mediterranean.

Bronze Age sword, Musée Calvet, Avignon © Vincent Flachaire

History of Avignon Prehistory Before Rome Gallo-Roman Avignon Late antiquity Early Middle Ages The medieval commune The papal move The papal court Western Schism Legates Wars of Religion Altera Roma Eighteenth century Union with France Napoleon Nineteenth century Twentieth century Early twenty-first century