La Providence

Prior to the construction of the premises of two public departments – DEAL and DIECCTE – at the Parc de La Providence, an archaeological evaluation of the 32,000 sq.m. construction site was mandated in 2018. Only 3 % of the surface area was explored due to the difficult terrain.

A well-documented site

Virgin land in 1779, the first settlement at La Providence dates from 1808, when three habitation units were built on the present site. Under the leadership of the governor Hubert-Delisle, by 1856, it had become a densely populated area; archival documents attest the existence of a large house and several outbuildings. Two years later, a hospice, an agricultural college, metalworking workshops and a church were also built on the site. These 19^th century buildings were integrated into the park redevelopment plans.

The contribution of archaeology

Hollow structures – pits and ditches connected to a stone channel – for agropastoral use and ceramic ware from the countryside around Marseille and dated to the 18^th century provide the first evidence of human activity in the area. Later developments, such as a small staircase providing access north of the chapel, were also uncovered. Archaeologists also recorded the southwest and northeast corners of a workshop and the foundations of another building and its gutter. They were unable to find a wooden shack marked on maps, however. The excavations should shed light on the history of these various buildings and the construction techniques used to build them.