The Department is interested in past and present societies through the study of material traces and productions, whether archaeological or architectural remains, objects or artistic works. Openness and diversity are the guiding principles of the Department of Archaeology and Art Sciences.

The aim of Archaeology and Art Sciences studies is to train future heritage professionals in research methods and knowledge specific to these disciplines. Field practice in direct contact with sites, objects and works is at the heart of our teaching methods. Based on the observation and characterization of traces of occupation or materials fashioned by man, students are led to interpret them from the angle of their contexts of production and use, questioning their meaning.

Research in the department covers a wide range of artistic and technical fields, from prehistory to the present day.

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Pedagogy in the field - Archaeological field schools

Art history and archaeology
Students
Sustainable
ODD #4 - Quality education
SDG #11 - Sustainable cities and communities

As part of their training in archaeology, students at the University of Namur experience a unique immersion in their future profession thanks to workcamps. This program, developed by the Department of Archaeology and Art Sciences, closely combines field experience and academic learning.

Chantier école sur le site de Rome - Ostia

This article is taken from the "Tomorrow learn" column in the December 2024 issue of Omalius magazine.

This initiative is spearheaded by Fanny Martin, lecturer in national archaeology at UNamur. "Leaving archaeology studies without having experienced the discipline doesn't make much sense. When I arrived, the University of Namur didn't yet have any field schools. It seemed essential to me to offer a project for students, because field archaeology is a discipline in its own right," she explains. Julian Richard, professor of Greek and Roman archaeology and head of the department, adds: "At UNamur, our trump card is to take students out into the field as much as possible. Right from the bachelor's level, they are brought into contact with the object, observing it, manipulating it, understanding it. This is a pedagogy we're keen on, and setting up work-schools is part of it."

During these work-schools, students, confronted with the realities of the field, have to apply their theoretical knowledge to concrete situations, developing not only their technical skills, but also analytical and problem-solving abilities. "In the first and second years, students receive a methodological background on excavation. And then, between their second and third years, they go out on the training site for two weeks and put these principles into practice," adds Fanny Martin.

These internships offer an immersive experience. Bérénice Didier, an art history and archaeology student, worked on the site of Tintigny, an Iron Age tomb necropolis in the Gaume region, while others went to the Feudal castle of Moha, in the Province of Liège.

Chantier école sur le site de Tintigny
Excavations at the Tintigny site

I got a lot out of this internship. The team on site was lovely. We first learned the basics of excavation, then, little by little, explored all the stages of the discipline, which was exciting", she recounts. Marion Drabbé, a third-year bachelor's student in archaeology, backs up Bérénice's words, adding, "I was a little apprehensive, as the workcamps are like a little exam in our curriculum. But in the end, it was a great experience. We were surrounded by lovely professionals, and I was supervised by Fanny Thirion, archaeologist at the Musée des Celtes. It was great! These workcamps let you see what you're studying, and you realize just how precise and meticulous archaeology is. There's also the satisfaction of discovering previously unseen objects: we found an urn with bone residues and a fibula pin, which is quite rare in excavations. We were delighted!".

The experience of workcamps is not just professional. For Bérénice Didier, it was also a time for sharing and cohesion: "It felt a bit like summer camp. It was really great and I had the opportunity to forge a lot of bonds." Outside digging hours, the students share their daily lives, which fosters strong bonds and develops their ability to work as a team.

These workcamps, which constitute research projects in their own right, require significant organization and varied support. "We chose to work in the Tintigny region, in Gaume. The site is in conservation danger, and we benefit from funding from the Agence wallonne du Patrimoine as well as a partnership with the Musée des Celtes de Libramont and the Commune de Tintigny to carry out the operations. This type of project requires a lot of collaboration to manage the logistics and the study," explains Fanny Martin. What's more, support from partners and UNamur means that internships are free of charge, so that no student is deprived of this opportunity.

A dual mission and an opening onto the professional world

These projects fulfill a dual societal mission: to preserve and pass on heritage to society. With this in mind, students welcome visitors to the site to share their discoveries, enabling them to acquire cultural mediation skills. Bérénice testifies: "Giving guided tours really appealed to me, to the point of making me want to explore this field in the future". Marion adds: "The tours were really enriching. You realize that being able to express your budding knowledge in front of people who are interested in what you're telling them is also very glorifying". This dimension makes these internships much more than mere digs: they are also places of transmission where students value their work to society.

The work sites are also a first experience in the professional world. "They offer them a first baggage for the future", notes Julian Richard. Students can also take part in international missions, such as those organized by Julian Richard in Ostia, the ancient port of Rome, with UCLouvain. These excavations abroad bring a complementary perspective and enrich their training through the study of other contexts, particularly built, as well as other periods.

Thanks to this approach, UNamur archaeology students develop a deeper understanding of their field while building a useful professional network for the future. The workcamp-school becomes a landmark experience, preparing students both academically and personally for the rest of their career.

A new name for the department!

The department was recently renamed the Department of Archaeology and Art Sciences. According to Mathieu Piavaux, a professor at UNamur and former head of the department who contributed to the project, "this change had two objectives. Firstly, to highlight a very practical approach to archaeology, which is strongly emphasised in our teaching approach and in the scientific activity of the department. This is true not only of the courses devoted to archaeological methods and the technology of objects and architecture, but also of the practical work carried out by the students and the courses given in situ. Secondly, we have opted for a name of Germanic origin, “art sciences” (Kunstwissenschaft), which covers a much broader field than art history stricto sensu and is therefore better suited to the diversity of approaches in our disciplines, which include museology and heritage conservation, for example. The new name also reflects the versatility of the department, which is involved in specialised Masters courses in heritage management and conservation. Finally, putting “sciences” in the name is also a nod to the Faculty of Science, with which we regularly collaborate, given the interdisciplinary nature of our disciplines. It all adds up to a great team effort, a great collective dynamic that makes this kind of evolution possible. Redefining ourselves together and developing our identity is always exciting.

This article is taken from the "Tomorrow learn" section of Omalius magazine #35 (December 2024).

Visuel de Omalius #35 - décembre 2024

Participatory funding: Specularia, experimental archaeology project

History

The Department of Art History and Archaeology of UNamur is participating for the first time in an experimental archaeology project, within the framework of a doctoral thesis on the production of glass in the Roman period. Conducted in partnership with Malagne, the Rochefort archaeopark, the Specularia project aims to gain a better understanding of the reality of the gestures and techniques of Gallo-Roman craftsmen and to scientifically validate hypotheses that are still debated today. To carry out this experiment, the Department of Art History and Archaeology is launching its first participatory funding.

Specularia

Y avait-il déjà des vitres aux fenêtres au temps des Romains ? La réponse est oui ! Vertes, bleues, jaunes ou incolores, les vitres avaient des formes et des usages variés. La manière dont ce verre à vitre était produit à l'époque romaine continue cependant de faire débat entre les scientifiques. À l'UNamur, les archéologues tentent de percer les secrets de cette production, en partenariat avec des artisans verriers et Malagne, l’archéoparc de Rochefort. Cette expérience s'inscrit dans la thèse de doctorat menée à l’UNamur par Géraldine Frère, sous la direction du professeur Julian Richard.

Chercheuse doctorante, Géraldine Frère étudie depuis 2019 les productions et les usages du verre à vitre entre le 1er et le 5e siècle en Gaule Belgique et en Germanie inférieure, un vaste espace qui correspond à la Belgique actuelle, aux Pays-Bas, au Luxembourg et au nord de la France. Sa recherche est à l’origine du projet Specularia (de specularis, vitres ou fenêtres en latin). 

Visuel du documentaire Specularia

Expérimenter un processus jamais tenté

Le projet entend décrypter les pratiques des artisans romains en recréant deux fours à verre « à l’antique » au sein de l’archéoparc. Le premier sera utilisé pour la fusion du matériau, l’autre pour sa recuisson, deux étapes indispensables de la production du verre. L’expérience sera menée par Géraldine Frère avec l'aide d’artisans verriers (Allain Guillot et "Les infondus") qui utiliseront des techniques et des outils "à la romaine", spécialement conçus sur base d’expérimentations antérieures et des traces retrouvées sur les fragments de vitres antiques. Le verre sera mis en forme suivant un processus inédit et différent de tout ce qui a été testé jusqu’ici : le verre en fusion sera cueilli dans le four, déposé sur une surface avec un cadre chauffée préalablement, puis étiré à l'aide d'outils jusqu'à obtention d'une forme rectangulaire. 

Un objectif scientifique et pédagogique

Ce projet permettra aux étudiantes et aux étudiants du Département d’Histoire de l’Art et d’Archéologie de suivre un projet d’archéologie expérimentale en région namuroise. Le public pourra également voir la progression de l’expérience, de la construction des fours dans l’archéoparc au coulage des vitres, avec comme point d’orgue « le Rendez-vous gallo-romain » organisé les 15-16 juillet 2023. Les résultats des expériences seront valorisés scientifiquement dans le cadre du projet de recherche Specularia.  

Un financement participatif 

Pour mener cette expérience à bien, le Département d’archéologie est à la recherche de 10.000 euros. Cette somme sera intégralement utilisée pour acheter les matériaux permettant de construire les fours et couler le verre (bois, argile, sable, tuiles…) au sein de l'archéoparc et financer le travail des verriers durant la durée de l’expérience (mai-juillet 2023). 

Si vous souhaitez faire progresser les connaissances en archéologie gallo-romaine, il vous est possible de rejoindre l’équipe du projet en participant à son financement. Chaque geste de soutien, petit ou grand, sera aussi un encouragement moral à poursuivre ces projets d’innovation en recherche et en enseignement dans le domaine de l’archéologie à l’UNamur ! 

Soutenez le projet et recevez une contrepartie offerte par Malagne, l’archéoparc de Rochefort

En fonction du montant de votre don, vous débloquerez l'une des contreparties offertes par l’archéoparc (entrées et visites guidées gratuites, participation au week-end gallo-romain…). Rendez-vous sur la page du projet !

Tous les dons à partir de 40 € adressés à l’UNamur, en ligne ou par virement, sont déductibles fiscalement et donnent droit à une réduction d’impôts de 45 %. Un don de 100 € vous coûtera en réalité 55 € après déduction fiscale.

Merci pour votre soutien !

Faire un don ou plus d'info :

AGC Glass supports the Specularia experimental archaeology project

History
Art history and archaeology

This is a first at the UNamur: a team of archaeologists will soon be testing an experimental protocol to reproduce the process of shaping glass in Roman times. Entitled Specularia (Latin for "glass"), this project has the support of several associations and companies, including AGC Glass Europe.

Specularia

Specularia, c’est un projet mêlant innovation scientifique et artisanat dans le domaine de l’archéologie du verre plat. Son but : tester les théories émises depuis plus d’un siècle par les archéologues pour expliquer le processus de mise en forme des vitres à l’époque romaine, et vérifier leur faisabilité dans des conditions réelles (en lire plus ici).

Le projet est piloté par le professeur Julian Richard et Géraldine Frère, chercheuse doctorante et assistante au Département d’histoire de l’art et archéologie de l’UNamur.

Entre mai et juillet 2023, une équipe de scientifiques et d’artisans verriers recréera la chaine de production du verre à l’époque romaine, c’est-à-dire de la construction de fours jusqu’à la production de vitres selon les techniques romaines ou supposées telles.

Ce projet apportera des réponses concrètes aux questions posées de longue date dans le domaine de l’archéologie du verre et constituera une première en matière d’archéologie expérimentale au sein du Département d’histoire de l’art et archéologie de l’UNamur. L’expérience se tiendra dans le cadre exceptionnel de Malagne, l’archéoparc de Rochefort : ce site classé (voir photo ci-dessus) permettra d’insérer l’expérience au cœur d’un parcours pédagogique et mettra l’innovation scientifique à la portée du grand public et des écoles. Le coulage des vitres interviendra en particulier lors du « Week-end gallo-romain » organisé par Malagne les 15 et 16 juillet 2023.

Ce projet implique l’achat de fournitures peu habituelles pour des recherches en laboratoire : argile réfractaire, tuiles, sable de rivière… Pour rassembler les fonds nécessaires, l’UNamur a lancé un crowdfunding qui a progressé de manière significative depuis son lancement grâce au soutien du grand public et de passionnés d’archéologie, ou encore du Musée du Verre de la Ville de Charleroi.  C’est au tour d’AGC Glass Europede s’associer à ce projet.

Héritier de la longue tradition verrière belge, AGC est innovateur des produits futurs dans l’industrie verrière grâce à la recherche scientifique en continu. Soutenir la recherche scientifique dans le domaine de l’histoire du verre plat s’intègre donc bien dans notre politique d’aider des projets contribuant à l'éducation, à la professionnalisation des jeunes et à la diversité 

Niels Schreuder Public Affairs & Communication Architectural Glass chez AGC Glass Europe

Mettre en lumière l’innovation en recherche de manière attractive et originale, en dehors des murs de l’université, est également une perspective soutenue par AGC Glass Europe : « Contribuer aux activités culturelles et de médiation scientifique, notamment vis-à-vis des jeunes s’inscrit dans la mission d’entreprise citoyenne responsable AGCitizen. Par le soutien qu’elle apporte à ce type de projets, AGC Glass Europe contribue à l'éducation et au développement professionnel des jeunes », poursuit Niels Schreuder. L’expérience sera en effet valorisée au sein du parcours pédagogique proposé par Malagne, qui accueille 14.000 visiteurs par an, dont 9.300 élèves, mais également auprès des étudiantes et des étudiants du Département d’histoire de l’art et archéologie de l’UNamur.

L’UNamur remercie l’ensemble des partenaires et soutiens qui se sont déjà manifestés afin de faire de cette expérience une réalité. Il reste encore un mois pour participer à au financement participatif du projet Specularia. Aidez-nous à atteindre les 10.000 € !

Découvrez le projet specularia en vidéo

Visuel du documentaire Specularia

En savoir plus sur le projet et faire un don en ligne

Specularia" wins US film awards

Event
Art history and archaeology
Price

The documentary produced as part of the experimental archaeology research project, "Specularia", wins an award at an American festival, organized by the University of Pittsburgh and the University of South Carolina!

Visuel Specularia

Understanding how the Romans produced their glass: this was the aim of the Specularia research project, conducted by UNamur as part of the doctoral thesis of Géraldine Frère, an archaeology researcher at the Institut Patrimoines, Transmissions, Héritages (PaTHs).

Today, a new award has been bestowed on the Specularia project team: the documentary directed by Philippe Axell and co-produced by UNamur and the Malagne Archaeopark has been awarded an "Honorable Mention" at the Arkhaios Film Festival organized by the University of Pittsburgh and the University of South Carolina!

The film was competing in the Best Cultural Heritage Short Film category under the title "Specularia. Glass windowpanes in Roman times". It was thus one of three films to win in this category, which rewards documentary short films relating to cultural heritage.

This award underlines the quality of this exercise in scientific mediation through the prism of cinema, which is the result of a fruitful collaboration between director Philippe Axell, Malagne, the Rochefort archaeopark, and members of the University of Namur.

Unlocking the mystery of Roman glass: from scientific research to documentary

How was glass produced in Roman times? This question is at the heart of the Specularia research project led by Géraldine Frère, a researcher at the Institut Patrimoines, Transmissions, Héritages (PaTHs) and the Department of Archaeology and Art Sciences, in collaboration with Malagne, the Rochefort archaeopark. After a phase of in situ experimentation and analysis of the results, the project entered a new phase with the release of a documentary film. An opportunity to discover this scientific adventure in pictures! The first date was December 1, 2023, at Rochefort's P'tit Festival d'archéologie.

Specularia is a scientific innovation project combining research and craftsmanship. It is part of Géraldine Frère's doctoral thesis, entitled "From sand to window. Production and consumption of window glass between the 1st and 4th centuries in northern Gaul". Through this work, the researcher sought to understand the elements that conditioned the glass industry to live in Roman times, but also its installation in architecture at that time. Specifically, the project set out to determine by whom, for whom, how, where and when glass was produced. To achieve this, a multidisciplinary methodology was put in place: the Specularia experimental archaeology project is one of the many axes developed to unravel the mysteries of this industry.

After undergoing various preparatory stages, the research team had proceeded to an experimental phase within the Malagne archaeopark. To this end, two glassmakers' furnaces had been reconstituted on the site. In July 2023, assisted by glassmakers, the scientific team took part in the glassmaking process. A phase of rigorous scientific experimentation, which also took place under the gaze of numerous visitors.

Geraldine Frère's work continued with the analysis of the data collected, compared with archaeological material, to culminate in the most recent and in-depth scientific study to date on flat glass production in Roman times in our regions.

A project that has been followed, step by step, by director Philippe Axell in order to produce a documentary that raises awareness of this scientific adventure in Belgium and internationally, as well as placing it in the wider context of the history and archaeology of glass.

The documentary trailer

Visuel du documentaire Specularia

The different stages of the experiment in pictures

Crowdfunding

The Specularia project involved the purchase of unusual supplies for laboratory research: fireclay, tiles, river sand... To raise the necessary funds, UNamur launched a crowdfunding operation. A successful operation thanks to the mobilization of alumni, donors, friends of UNamur and several supporters: AGC Glass Europe, the Musée du Verre de la Ville de Charleroi as well as the Loterie Nationale and its players. UNamur thanks all the partners and supporters who came forward and helped make this project a reality!

The team

  • Julian Richard, archaeologist and professor at UNamur
  • Géraldine Frère, archaeologist
  • Malagne, l'Archéoparc de Rochefort
  • As a listed site and monument, Malagne is home to a remarkable archaeological heritage. The protection and enhancement of its remains through research and mediation are the main thrusts of its missions, which it implements through reconstructions, publications and experimental archaeology projects.
  • Allain Guillot
  • Glass master, meilleur ouvrier de France, Allain Guillot is an expert in cane-blowing. He regularly works with museums and archaeologists, experimenting with ancient processes.
  • Les Infondus : Chloé Grevaz et François Dubois
  • Glassblowers and members of the Association Française de l'Archéologie du Verre, Chloé Grevaz and François Dubois work with numerous researchers, archaeologists and master glassmakers on the habits and customs of craftsmen of yesteryear. François Dubois was awarded the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2011.

"Specularia" project partners

Les partenaires de Spécularia

Pedagogy in the field - Archaeological field schools

Art history and archaeology
Students
Sustainable
ODD #4 - Quality education
SDG #11 - Sustainable cities and communities

As part of their training in archaeology, students at the University of Namur experience a unique immersion in their future profession thanks to workcamps. This program, developed by the Department of Archaeology and Art Sciences, closely combines field experience and academic learning.

Chantier école sur le site de Rome - Ostia

This article is taken from the "Tomorrow learn" column in the December 2024 issue of Omalius magazine.

This initiative is spearheaded by Fanny Martin, lecturer in national archaeology at UNamur. "Leaving archaeology studies without having experienced the discipline doesn't make much sense. When I arrived, the University of Namur didn't yet have any field schools. It seemed essential to me to offer a project for students, because field archaeology is a discipline in its own right," she explains. Julian Richard, professor of Greek and Roman archaeology and head of the department, adds: "At UNamur, our trump card is to take students out into the field as much as possible. Right from the bachelor's level, they are brought into contact with the object, observing it, manipulating it, understanding it. This is a pedagogy we're keen on, and setting up work-schools is part of it."

During these work-schools, students, confronted with the realities of the field, have to apply their theoretical knowledge to concrete situations, developing not only their technical skills, but also analytical and problem-solving abilities. "In the first and second years, students receive a methodological background on excavation. And then, between their second and third years, they go out on the training site for two weeks and put these principles into practice," adds Fanny Martin.

These internships offer an immersive experience. Bérénice Didier, an art history and archaeology student, worked on the site of Tintigny, an Iron Age tomb necropolis in the Gaume region, while others went to the Feudal castle of Moha, in the Province of Liège.

Chantier école sur le site de Tintigny
Excavations at the Tintigny site

I got a lot out of this internship. The team on site was lovely. We first learned the basics of excavation, then, little by little, explored all the stages of the discipline, which was exciting", she recounts. Marion Drabbé, a third-year bachelor's student in archaeology, backs up Bérénice's words, adding, "I was a little apprehensive, as the workcamps are like a little exam in our curriculum. But in the end, it was a great experience. We were surrounded by lovely professionals, and I was supervised by Fanny Thirion, archaeologist at the Musée des Celtes. It was great! These workcamps let you see what you're studying, and you realize just how precise and meticulous archaeology is. There's also the satisfaction of discovering previously unseen objects: we found an urn with bone residues and a fibula pin, which is quite rare in excavations. We were delighted!".

The experience of workcamps is not just professional. For Bérénice Didier, it was also a time for sharing and cohesion: "It felt a bit like summer camp. It was really great and I had the opportunity to forge a lot of bonds." Outside digging hours, the students share their daily lives, which fosters strong bonds and develops their ability to work as a team.

These workcamps, which constitute research projects in their own right, require significant organization and varied support. "We chose to work in the Tintigny region, in Gaume. The site is in conservation danger, and we benefit from funding from the Agence wallonne du Patrimoine as well as a partnership with the Musée des Celtes de Libramont and the Commune de Tintigny to carry out the operations. This type of project requires a lot of collaboration to manage the logistics and the study," explains Fanny Martin. What's more, support from partners and UNamur means that internships are free of charge, so that no student is deprived of this opportunity.

A dual mission and an opening onto the professional world

These projects fulfill a dual societal mission: to preserve and pass on heritage to society. With this in mind, students welcome visitors to the site to share their discoveries, enabling them to acquire cultural mediation skills. Bérénice testifies: "Giving guided tours really appealed to me, to the point of making me want to explore this field in the future". Marion adds: "The tours were really enriching. You realize that being able to express your budding knowledge in front of people who are interested in what you're telling them is also very glorifying". This dimension makes these internships much more than mere digs: they are also places of transmission where students value their work to society.

The work sites are also a first experience in the professional world. "They offer them a first baggage for the future", notes Julian Richard. Students can also take part in international missions, such as those organized by Julian Richard in Ostia, the ancient port of Rome, with UCLouvain. These excavations abroad bring a complementary perspective and enrich their training through the study of other contexts, particularly built, as well as other periods.

Thanks to this approach, UNamur archaeology students develop a deeper understanding of their field while building a useful professional network for the future. The workcamp-school becomes a landmark experience, preparing students both academically and personally for the rest of their career.

A new name for the department!

The department was recently renamed the Department of Archaeology and Art Sciences. According to Mathieu Piavaux, a professor at UNamur and former head of the department who contributed to the project, "this change had two objectives. Firstly, to highlight a very practical approach to archaeology, which is strongly emphasised in our teaching approach and in the scientific activity of the department. This is true not only of the courses devoted to archaeological methods and the technology of objects and architecture, but also of the practical work carried out by the students and the courses given in situ. Secondly, we have opted for a name of Germanic origin, “art sciences” (Kunstwissenschaft), which covers a much broader field than art history stricto sensu and is therefore better suited to the diversity of approaches in our disciplines, which include museology and heritage conservation, for example. The new name also reflects the versatility of the department, which is involved in specialised Masters courses in heritage management and conservation. Finally, putting “sciences” in the name is also a nod to the Faculty of Science, with which we regularly collaborate, given the interdisciplinary nature of our disciplines. It all adds up to a great team effort, a great collective dynamic that makes this kind of evolution possible. Redefining ourselves together and developing our identity is always exciting.

This article is taken from the "Tomorrow learn" section of Omalius magazine #35 (December 2024).

Visuel de Omalius #35 - décembre 2024

Participatory funding: Specularia, experimental archaeology project

History

The Department of Art History and Archaeology of UNamur is participating for the first time in an experimental archaeology project, within the framework of a doctoral thesis on the production of glass in the Roman period. Conducted in partnership with Malagne, the Rochefort archaeopark, the Specularia project aims to gain a better understanding of the reality of the gestures and techniques of Gallo-Roman craftsmen and to scientifically validate hypotheses that are still debated today. To carry out this experiment, the Department of Art History and Archaeology is launching its first participatory funding.

Specularia

Y avait-il déjà des vitres aux fenêtres au temps des Romains ? La réponse est oui ! Vertes, bleues, jaunes ou incolores, les vitres avaient des formes et des usages variés. La manière dont ce verre à vitre était produit à l'époque romaine continue cependant de faire débat entre les scientifiques. À l'UNamur, les archéologues tentent de percer les secrets de cette production, en partenariat avec des artisans verriers et Malagne, l’archéoparc de Rochefort. Cette expérience s'inscrit dans la thèse de doctorat menée à l’UNamur par Géraldine Frère, sous la direction du professeur Julian Richard.

Chercheuse doctorante, Géraldine Frère étudie depuis 2019 les productions et les usages du verre à vitre entre le 1er et le 5e siècle en Gaule Belgique et en Germanie inférieure, un vaste espace qui correspond à la Belgique actuelle, aux Pays-Bas, au Luxembourg et au nord de la France. Sa recherche est à l’origine du projet Specularia (de specularis, vitres ou fenêtres en latin). 

Visuel du documentaire Specularia

Expérimenter un processus jamais tenté

Le projet entend décrypter les pratiques des artisans romains en recréant deux fours à verre « à l’antique » au sein de l’archéoparc. Le premier sera utilisé pour la fusion du matériau, l’autre pour sa recuisson, deux étapes indispensables de la production du verre. L’expérience sera menée par Géraldine Frère avec l'aide d’artisans verriers (Allain Guillot et "Les infondus") qui utiliseront des techniques et des outils "à la romaine", spécialement conçus sur base d’expérimentations antérieures et des traces retrouvées sur les fragments de vitres antiques. Le verre sera mis en forme suivant un processus inédit et différent de tout ce qui a été testé jusqu’ici : le verre en fusion sera cueilli dans le four, déposé sur une surface avec un cadre chauffée préalablement, puis étiré à l'aide d'outils jusqu'à obtention d'une forme rectangulaire. 

Un objectif scientifique et pédagogique

Ce projet permettra aux étudiantes et aux étudiants du Département d’Histoire de l’Art et d’Archéologie de suivre un projet d’archéologie expérimentale en région namuroise. Le public pourra également voir la progression de l’expérience, de la construction des fours dans l’archéoparc au coulage des vitres, avec comme point d’orgue « le Rendez-vous gallo-romain » organisé les 15-16 juillet 2023. Les résultats des expériences seront valorisés scientifiquement dans le cadre du projet de recherche Specularia.  

Un financement participatif 

Pour mener cette expérience à bien, le Département d’archéologie est à la recherche de 10.000 euros. Cette somme sera intégralement utilisée pour acheter les matériaux permettant de construire les fours et couler le verre (bois, argile, sable, tuiles…) au sein de l'archéoparc et financer le travail des verriers durant la durée de l’expérience (mai-juillet 2023). 

Si vous souhaitez faire progresser les connaissances en archéologie gallo-romaine, il vous est possible de rejoindre l’équipe du projet en participant à son financement. Chaque geste de soutien, petit ou grand, sera aussi un encouragement moral à poursuivre ces projets d’innovation en recherche et en enseignement dans le domaine de l’archéologie à l’UNamur ! 

Soutenez le projet et recevez une contrepartie offerte par Malagne, l’archéoparc de Rochefort

En fonction du montant de votre don, vous débloquerez l'une des contreparties offertes par l’archéoparc (entrées et visites guidées gratuites, participation au week-end gallo-romain…). Rendez-vous sur la page du projet !

Tous les dons à partir de 40 € adressés à l’UNamur, en ligne ou par virement, sont déductibles fiscalement et donnent droit à une réduction d’impôts de 45 %. Un don de 100 € vous coûtera en réalité 55 € après déduction fiscale.

Merci pour votre soutien !

Faire un don ou plus d'info :

AGC Glass supports the Specularia experimental archaeology project

History
Art history and archaeology

This is a first at the UNamur: a team of archaeologists will soon be testing an experimental protocol to reproduce the process of shaping glass in Roman times. Entitled Specularia (Latin for "glass"), this project has the support of several associations and companies, including AGC Glass Europe.

Specularia

Specularia, c’est un projet mêlant innovation scientifique et artisanat dans le domaine de l’archéologie du verre plat. Son but : tester les théories émises depuis plus d’un siècle par les archéologues pour expliquer le processus de mise en forme des vitres à l’époque romaine, et vérifier leur faisabilité dans des conditions réelles (en lire plus ici).

Le projet est piloté par le professeur Julian Richard et Géraldine Frère, chercheuse doctorante et assistante au Département d’histoire de l’art et archéologie de l’UNamur.

Entre mai et juillet 2023, une équipe de scientifiques et d’artisans verriers recréera la chaine de production du verre à l’époque romaine, c’est-à-dire de la construction de fours jusqu’à la production de vitres selon les techniques romaines ou supposées telles.

Ce projet apportera des réponses concrètes aux questions posées de longue date dans le domaine de l’archéologie du verre et constituera une première en matière d’archéologie expérimentale au sein du Département d’histoire de l’art et archéologie de l’UNamur. L’expérience se tiendra dans le cadre exceptionnel de Malagne, l’archéoparc de Rochefort : ce site classé (voir photo ci-dessus) permettra d’insérer l’expérience au cœur d’un parcours pédagogique et mettra l’innovation scientifique à la portée du grand public et des écoles. Le coulage des vitres interviendra en particulier lors du « Week-end gallo-romain » organisé par Malagne les 15 et 16 juillet 2023.

Ce projet implique l’achat de fournitures peu habituelles pour des recherches en laboratoire : argile réfractaire, tuiles, sable de rivière… Pour rassembler les fonds nécessaires, l’UNamur a lancé un crowdfunding qui a progressé de manière significative depuis son lancement grâce au soutien du grand public et de passionnés d’archéologie, ou encore du Musée du Verre de la Ville de Charleroi.  C’est au tour d’AGC Glass Europede s’associer à ce projet.

Héritier de la longue tradition verrière belge, AGC est innovateur des produits futurs dans l’industrie verrière grâce à la recherche scientifique en continu. Soutenir la recherche scientifique dans le domaine de l’histoire du verre plat s’intègre donc bien dans notre politique d’aider des projets contribuant à l'éducation, à la professionnalisation des jeunes et à la diversité 

Niels Schreuder Public Affairs & Communication Architectural Glass chez AGC Glass Europe

Mettre en lumière l’innovation en recherche de manière attractive et originale, en dehors des murs de l’université, est également une perspective soutenue par AGC Glass Europe : « Contribuer aux activités culturelles et de médiation scientifique, notamment vis-à-vis des jeunes s’inscrit dans la mission d’entreprise citoyenne responsable AGCitizen. Par le soutien qu’elle apporte à ce type de projets, AGC Glass Europe contribue à l'éducation et au développement professionnel des jeunes », poursuit Niels Schreuder. L’expérience sera en effet valorisée au sein du parcours pédagogique proposé par Malagne, qui accueille 14.000 visiteurs par an, dont 9.300 élèves, mais également auprès des étudiantes et des étudiants du Département d’histoire de l’art et archéologie de l’UNamur.

L’UNamur remercie l’ensemble des partenaires et soutiens qui se sont déjà manifestés afin de faire de cette expérience une réalité. Il reste encore un mois pour participer à au financement participatif du projet Specularia. Aidez-nous à atteindre les 10.000 € !

Découvrez le projet specularia en vidéo

Visuel du documentaire Specularia

En savoir plus sur le projet et faire un don en ligne

Specularia" wins US film awards

Event
Art history and archaeology
Price

The documentary produced as part of the experimental archaeology research project, "Specularia", wins an award at an American festival, organized by the University of Pittsburgh and the University of South Carolina!

Visuel Specularia

Understanding how the Romans produced their glass: this was the aim of the Specularia research project, conducted by UNamur as part of the doctoral thesis of Géraldine Frère, an archaeology researcher at the Institut Patrimoines, Transmissions, Héritages (PaTHs).

Today, a new award has been bestowed on the Specularia project team: the documentary directed by Philippe Axell and co-produced by UNamur and the Malagne Archaeopark has been awarded an "Honorable Mention" at the Arkhaios Film Festival organized by the University of Pittsburgh and the University of South Carolina!

The film was competing in the Best Cultural Heritage Short Film category under the title "Specularia. Glass windowpanes in Roman times". It was thus one of three films to win in this category, which rewards documentary short films relating to cultural heritage.

This award underlines the quality of this exercise in scientific mediation through the prism of cinema, which is the result of a fruitful collaboration between director Philippe Axell, Malagne, the Rochefort archaeopark, and members of the University of Namur.

Unlocking the mystery of Roman glass: from scientific research to documentary

How was glass produced in Roman times? This question is at the heart of the Specularia research project led by Géraldine Frère, a researcher at the Institut Patrimoines, Transmissions, Héritages (PaTHs) and the Department of Archaeology and Art Sciences, in collaboration with Malagne, the Rochefort archaeopark. After a phase of in situ experimentation and analysis of the results, the project entered a new phase with the release of a documentary film. An opportunity to discover this scientific adventure in pictures! The first date was December 1, 2023, at Rochefort's P'tit Festival d'archéologie.

Specularia is a scientific innovation project combining research and craftsmanship. It is part of Géraldine Frère's doctoral thesis, entitled "From sand to window. Production and consumption of window glass between the 1st and 4th centuries in northern Gaul". Through this work, the researcher sought to understand the elements that conditioned the glass industry to live in Roman times, but also its installation in architecture at that time. Specifically, the project set out to determine by whom, for whom, how, where and when glass was produced. To achieve this, a multidisciplinary methodology was put in place: the Specularia experimental archaeology project is one of the many axes developed to unravel the mysteries of this industry.

After undergoing various preparatory stages, the research team had proceeded to an experimental phase within the Malagne archaeopark. To this end, two glassmakers' furnaces had been reconstituted on the site. In July 2023, assisted by glassmakers, the scientific team took part in the glassmaking process. A phase of rigorous scientific experimentation, which also took place under the gaze of numerous visitors.

Geraldine Frère's work continued with the analysis of the data collected, compared with archaeological material, to culminate in the most recent and in-depth scientific study to date on flat glass production in Roman times in our regions.

A project that has been followed, step by step, by director Philippe Axell in order to produce a documentary that raises awareness of this scientific adventure in Belgium and internationally, as well as placing it in the wider context of the history and archaeology of glass.

The documentary trailer

Visuel du documentaire Specularia

The different stages of the experiment in pictures

Crowdfunding

The Specularia project involved the purchase of unusual supplies for laboratory research: fireclay, tiles, river sand... To raise the necessary funds, UNamur launched a crowdfunding operation. A successful operation thanks to the mobilization of alumni, donors, friends of UNamur and several supporters: AGC Glass Europe, the Musée du Verre de la Ville de Charleroi as well as the Loterie Nationale and its players. UNamur thanks all the partners and supporters who came forward and helped make this project a reality!

The team

  • Julian Richard, archaeologist and professor at UNamur
  • Géraldine Frère, archaeologist
  • Malagne, l'Archéoparc de Rochefort
  • As a listed site and monument, Malagne is home to a remarkable archaeological heritage. The protection and enhancement of its remains through research and mediation are the main thrusts of its missions, which it implements through reconstructions, publications and experimental archaeology projects.
  • Allain Guillot
  • Glass master, meilleur ouvrier de France, Allain Guillot is an expert in cane-blowing. He regularly works with museums and archaeologists, experimenting with ancient processes.
  • Les Infondus : Chloé Grevaz et François Dubois
  • Glassblowers and members of the Association Française de l'Archéologie du Verre, Chloé Grevaz and François Dubois work with numerous researchers, archaeologists and master glassmakers on the habits and customs of craftsmen of yesteryear. François Dubois was awarded the title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2011.

"Specularia" project partners

Les partenaires de Spécularia
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Agenda

15

Academic year 2025-2026

Corporate event

Something for everyone

09:30 | Welcome ceremony for new students

11:00 | Back-to-school celebration at Saint-Aubain Cathedral (Place Saint-Aubain - 5000 Namur), followed by student welcome by the Cercles.

24

Official ceremony for the start of the academic year 2025-2026

Corporate event

Official ceremony for the start of the academic year 2025-2026

Institution
24
19:00 - 22:00
Université de Namur, Auditoire Pedro Arrupe (PA01) - Rue Joseph Grafé 2 (Faculté des Sciences) / rue Grangagnage, Sentier Thomas - 5000 Namur

Save the date!

All events

Contact

Mathieu Piavaux

Director, Department of Archaeology and Art Sciences