VERVOZ
Belgium.
A vicus of the civitas
Tungrorum, on the Tongres-Arlon road. Its prosperity
is attested by the presence of bases of several funerary
monuments and many artifacts among the grave gifts
(lead urns, a bronze candelabrum, a bronze tripod, many
pieces of glass including two kanthari, jewelry, and
pieces of sculpture including the drum of a column
depicting an Attis).
Recent excavations have brought to light the foundations of several buildings on both sides of the ancient
road, including perhaps a covered market. The most
important discovery is a large bath building. The frigidarium (4.5 x 2 m, with apses 1.6 m deep at two ends)
has been excavated, as well as the tepidarium on a
suspensura, and several appended rooms. This building
was remodeled on at least two occasions. The potter's
district is located on the outskirts of the vicus. A dozen
kilns have been excavated there which were in use
during the 1st c. A hoard of coins buried ca. 254 and
another ca. 260 indicate that the vicus must have suffered from the barbarian invasions of the second half of the 3d c. Except for a hoard of coins that was buried during the reign of Arcadius ca. 402, there are no certain remains of occupation of the site during the Late Empire.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
F. Cumont, “Notice sur un Attis funéraire découvert à Vervoz,”
Bull. de l'Inst. arch. liégeois 29 (1900) 65-73; R. De Maeyer,
De Overblijfselen der
Romeinsche Villa's in België (1940) 136-39; A. M. Defize-LeJeune,
Répertoire bibliographique des trouvailles
archéologiques de la province de Liège (1964) 24-26;
J. Willems et al., “Les potiers gallo-belges de Vervoz,”
Bull. du Cercle arch. Hesbaye-Condroz 6 (1966) 47-112;
M. Thirion,
Les trésors monétaires gaulois et romains
trouvés en Belgique (1967) 61-62; J. Willems & E.
Lauwerÿs, “Le vicus belgo-romain de Vervoz,”
Helinium 13 (1973) 155-74
MPI.
S. J. DE LAET
