In the waters of an ancient pool beneath Chartres, archaeologists unexpectedly came across fragments of statues, which are rarely preserved in this corner of Gaul. The finds of 2026 in the sanctuary of Saint-Martin-au-Val have once again brought to life one of the largest religious complexes of the Roman era.
Excavations resumed in the summer after a four-year hiatus. The researchers focused on the monumental fountain complex associated with a building dedicated to Apollo. The central pool turned out to be more than two metres deep, lined with white marble and included a platform with steps, a balustrade and an overflow system.
Such elaborate hydraulic engineering apparently served not only for a spectacular effect, but also for ritual ablutions before entering the sanctuary. Visitors could descend to the water, purify themselves and then approach the cult building. So far, this configuration has no direct parallels in the Roman Empire.
The main surprise was the numerous fragments of statues and reliefs recovered from the pool and around it. The figures, judging by all appearances, depicted mythological scenes and once adorned the facade above the main basin. In Chartres, Roman sculpture is extremely rare, so every detail acquires special value.
The sanctuary occupied more than ten hectares and could receive thousands of pilgrims during festivals. Built at the end of the first to the beginning of the second century AD, it lay by the walls of Roman Autricum — the predecessor of modern Chartres. The preservation of the monument is astonishing: remains of a suspended wooden ceiling had already been found here, and now entire groups of sculptural decoration.
These discoveries allow a better understanding of how the Romans and Gauls combined architecture, water and myth in a single ritual space. Here water acted not merely as decoration, but as an active participant in the sacred rite, linking the earthly and the divine.
Further excavations will show exactly how the platform, the pool and the sculptures worked together. Even now it is clear that Saint-Martin-au-Val remains a genuine open-air laboratory for the study of the religious life of Roman Gaul.
