Following the survey in 2016, a rescue excavation was organised in 2018 a short distance from the sea and the Petit marché, on the site of the "Quadrilatère océan" , property development in Saint-Denis. This site on the edge of the historic centre of the town revealed new data on its urban development.
The oven
Zone 1, to the north of the site, contained the remains of an oven built during the 19th century. It has a brick vault and a structure enclosed in pebble walls. It was used to fire bricks made on site, possibly using a local clay-like medium. The oven was related to a building and excavated structures where machinery is now thought to have stood, confirming the site’s use for industrial and commercial activities.
The dump
A dumping ground was excavated over an area of 2,400 sq.m. It contained a very wide range of manufactured objects, including ceramic ware, various bottles and flasks, an iron cooking pot, a clay pipe, a candlestick, an inkwell and an ointment pot. The dump provides clues about daily life in the area over a 70-year period and sheds light on the trade links between the island and mainland France.
A built area
There was a built area to the south of the oven and the dump. The structures and artefacts suggest that urban development began in the late 19th century with traces surviving until recently. The post-excavation study will piece together the sequencing and development of this built space. The western side of the excavation uncovered humus-bearing soil, “garden soil" consistent with plots cultivated from the 18th century.
