Cities, villages, fortresses - Vaud (Waadt) - Lausanne-Vidy (Lousonna) - Houses and workshops

Introduction The forum The harbour Houses and workshops The surroundings

In the 1930's a few houses and workshops were excavated to the east of the forum. After the Second World War a long row was excavated to the north-west of the forum, along the ancient shore (between the modern Route de Chavannes and Route de Vidy). Many of these buildings have been published in great detail. Here a few remarks must suffice.

Plan of the settlement. Hervé 2017, fig. 6.

The first houses, half-timbered, were built in the late first century BC and early first century AD. The first houses in which masonry was used belong to the second half of the first century AD. No wealthy dwellings have been found, houses with an atrium and a peristylium as seen in Pompeii. The houses of Lousanna often have courtyards with a floor of beaten earth, with wells and fireplaces. They were surrounded by some living rooms, storage rooms and rooms used for crafts (potteries, smithies). Heated rooms and bathing rooms were only installed occasionally. Mosaics and wall paintings were rare. Along the street could be a porticus. The houses could be close to each other, so it causes little surprise that an inscription was found stipulating the communal use of a wall.

Reconstruction drawing of a house at the north-western end of the settlement. Paunier et al. 1989, fig. 140.

Reconstruction drawing of a block in the centre of the settlement. Berti Rossi et al. 2005, fig. 231.

Reconstruction drawing of a house in the centre of the settlement. Berti Rossi et al. 2005, fig. 228.

A rare example of a mosaic floor, in the centre of the settlement. Photo: vici.org, Werner Doenni.

	PARIES PERPETV(u)S COMMVNIS EST
	The entire wall is common.
Slab of sandstone, found in 1960 to the west of the forum. W. 0.36, h. 0.215, d. 0.085. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 69. Photo: EDCS-09701581.

In a building to the north-east of the temple on the forum ointments for diseases of the eyes were sold. In 1937 a small stone stamp for two ointments was found, with the name of the physician or manufacturer, of the ointment, and of the purpose.

	Q(uinti) POST(umi) HERMETIS CHLORON AD EPIPH(oras)
	Of Quintus Postumius Hermes. Ointment against flow of tears.
	Q(uinti) POST(umi) HERMETIS PELAGIN(um) AD CLARI(tatem)
	Of Quintus Postumius Hermes. Ointment for clearness of sight.
Stamp of ointments for the eyes. Soapstone. W. 0.037, h. 001. Kolb et al. 2022, nr. 74; EDCS-15800328 Photo: Musée romain de Lausanne-Vidy.

Introduction The forum The harbour Houses and workshops The surroundings

[21-Feb-2024]