Sanctuaries and Sacred Places -Belgic sanctuariesIn the last decade, a series of excavations in the territory of the Bellovaci and
Ambiani (Picardy, France) has substantially increased our knowledge of sanctuaries
and attitudes to sacred space in Belgic Gaul. Sanctuary sites with features similar to
those of Picardy occur beyond Belgic territory, but given the extent of excavation in
Belgic Gaul, it is proposed to concentrate on that area here.
Belgic sanctuaries include Gournay-sur-Aronde (Brunaux, Meniel and Rapin
1985), Estrees-St-Denis (Woimant 1991), St-Maur (Brunaux and Lambot 1991) and
Vendeuil-Caply (Piton and Dilly 1985) in Dept Oise; Ribemont-sur-Ancre (Cadoux
1984, 1991), Morviller-St-Saturnin (Delplace 1991) and Chilly (Brunaux 1986) in
Dept Somme; and Mouzon (Gallia 1979: 808-10) in Dept Ardennes (Figure 24.2).
Figure 24.2 'Belgic' sanctuaries mentioned in the text.One of the best-understood sequences is that for the sanctuary at the centre of the
oppidum of Gournay-sur-Aronde (Oise) (Figure 24.3). The sanctuary site forms a
rectilinear enclosure which in its first (fourth century Be) phase measured 45 x 38 m
and was defined by a ditch and low bank. In the late fourth to mid-third century Be
a palisade was added on the external edge of the ditch and in the late third to early
second century Be a second ditch was added beyond the first. From its construction
in the fourth century Be until C.30 Be, the primary ditch was used to deposit over
2,000 broken weapons and 3,000 animal bones. At the centre of the enclosure a group
of pits was dug in the mid-third century Be. Nine roughly circular pits 1.2 m deep,
surrounded a tenth, oval, pit in which cattle remains were allowed to decompose.
Around the end of the third century Be these pits served as foundations for
a wooden building, replaced by two subsequent first-century Be structures. The