Direction
Jean-Baptiste Yon (CNRS-HiSoMa/IFPO)
How Eveha Participates
Topography
Photogrammetry
Sector co-direction
Location
Lebanon
The thirteenth campaign of the archaeological mission at the site of Tyre-ville took place under unusual circumstances from October 10 to 27, 2020, under the direction of Jean-Baptiste Yon (Ifpo Beirut, CNRS USR 3135). Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, its duration had to be shortened and the number of participants limited. Nevertheless, as every year since 2011, the collaboration with Éveha International was renewed, with Xavier Husson continuing to provide topographical and photogrammetric work, and, since this year, Aurélie Laurey, who has been in Tyre since 2017, as co-leader of the archaeological investigations in Sector 7.
Although limited, excavations were thus carried out in Sector 1, known as “the cathedral,” and Sector 7, known as “the small baths.”
Cathedral sector
In sector 1, a test pit was dug to clarify the possible link between the supposed walls of the mosque courtyard and the possible canonical enclosure. Located outside these areas, it revealed numerous remains (walls, floors, particularly mosaics) dating from the Roman to the Ottoman periods. In addition, surface cleaning further south over an area of around 100 square meters will facilitate the implementation of future surveys and surveys.
Small baths area
In sector 7, southeast of the Decauville railway, the survey at the foot of the stylobate discovered in 2019 was continued. The aim was to provide information on the construction and nature of the space in front of it. This made it possible to uncover more of its foundations and elevation, as well as those of the adjoining latrines and a marble column base. The excavation was halted at a level of mortar, probably a construction level, without, unfortunately, being able to characterize the space to the southwest (inner courtyard, portico along the street?). Only a large layer of orange demolition debris was found, apparently obliterated by recent intervention. To the northwest of the decauville, an area of just over 200 m² was cleared of weeds and began to be cleaned. The aim of this intervention was to confirm the hypothesis of the development of the thermal building in this area, indicated by the presence of brick foundations, and to determine its extent. The discovery of wall elements, paving, and pipes seems to confirm the existence of warm and cold rooms at this location, the study of which may resume next year.
Topographic and photogrammetric monitoring
Finally, the implementation of topographic surveys and photogrammetric coverage of each sector made it possible to complete the main plan of the site. However, unlike in previous years, the graphic documentation for the GIS could not be finalized due to the extremely short duration of the intervention, and has therefore been postponed until next year. The migration of data to the Syslat archaeological information system began in 2020-2021.
