Wines, oils and perfumes: an archaeological journey around the ancient Mediterranean

The exhibition is open to all, free of charge, Monday to Friday, from 10am to 7pm , except on public holidays.

Who hasn't dreamed of drinking the wine that Julius Caesar enjoyed, or breathing in the perfume of an Athenian aristocrat?

For almost fifty years, archaeologist Jean-Pierre Brun has devoted himself to studying the techniques and economies of antiquity, excavating the artisanal districts of Pompeii, studying viticulture in Gaul and reconstructing the chemistry of Greek perfumes. It may come as a surprise that archaeologists are able to reconstruct the production, consumption and trade of perishable foodstuffs. However, by cross-referencing texts with archaeological traces, it is possible to tell the story of the Romans' daily life, as well as the diversity of cultures at work in their immense empire. Visitors are thus invited to embark on a journey through the Roman Mediterranean, following in the footsteps of archaeologist Jean-Pierre Brun and the teams with whom he excavated around the Mediterranean basin.

The exhibition is organized in two complementary locations. On the historic site of the Collège de France, the exceptional participation of the Musée du Louvre enables us to present twenty-two remarkable objects: ceramics, bronzes and glass from the Department of Greek, Etruscan and Roman Antiquities offer a glimpse of aristocratic tables, where the richness of the decorations vies with the variety of forms and supports. At the Institute of Civilizations, the focus is on archaeological discourse: how do we make archaeological discoveries speak? Maps, photographs, three exceptional models of an ancient perfume factory, a wine-growing villa and a Roman transport ship, as well as several filmed interviews with Jean-Pierre Brun, provide a clear view of the archaeological finds on display, from major sites in Roman Gaul, Italy, Greece and Egypt. All the exhibition texts are written by archaeologists specializing in the periods and countries in question, providing visitors with the keys to understanding the production and transport of oil, wine and perfume in the Roman Empire.

Practical information

The exhibition is free and open to the public fromOctober 28, 2024 to January 31, 2025, Monday to Friday (closed on weekends and public holidays), from 10am to 7pm (last admission 30 minutes before closing). 
It takes place at the Marcelin Berthelot site of the Collège de France, 11 place Marcelin-Berthelot - 75005 Paris and at the Institute of Civilizations, 52 rue du Cardinal-Lemoine - 75005 Paris.

Closed on November 1st, November 11th, December 25th and January 1st.

School visits

Free guided tours, adapted to the level of the class, are offered to teachers wishing to introduce their pupils to the exhibition. Through the work of Jean-Pierre Brun, the exhibition sheds light on the profession of archaeologist. Through interactive workshops that engage the senses, students, accompanied by a tour guide, learn about the challenges of discoveries based on the four geographical zones featured in the exhibition.

Interested teachers are invited to register via a form.

Lectures

Location: Institute of Civilizations, Françoise-Héritier room
Schedule: 12.30pm - 1.30pm
Free admission

• 5 November: "Tell me what you're digging up, and I'll tell you who you are. Jean-Pierre Brun and ancient crafts in the Mediterranean" by Emmanuel Botte, CNRS Research Director (Centre Camille-Jullian, UMR 7299, Aix Marseille Université)
   
• 19 November: "Women and animals in the garrisons of the Egyptian Eastern Desert in the Hellenistic and Roman periods" by Hélène Cuvigny (CNRS, IRHT)
   
• 3 December: "Rome and Corsica or the impossibility of an island!" by Gaël Brkojewitsch (Preventive Archaeology Service, Metz Metropolitan Council)
   
• 18 December : "Au fil de la truelle. Archaeology through the eyes of documentary filmmakers" by Jean-François Dars & Anne Papillault
   
• 14 January: "The Champagne Wine Museum and Regional Archaeology. When archaeology becomes child's play... Mediation and promotion for a broad public" by Laure Ménétrier (Champagne Wine and Regional Archaeology Museum, Épernay)

Exhibition catalog

The exhibition "Wines, oils and perfumes: an archaeological voyage around the ancient Mediterranean" has given rise to the publication of a French-language catalog aimed at a wide audience beyond specialists in the field (288 pages). Edited by Jean-Pierre Brun, Julien Auber de Lapierre, Emmanuel Botte and Matthieu Poux, the richly illustrated catalog covers some forty archaeological sites in the Mediterranean basin.

Credits, partners and sponsors

The exhibition Wines, Oils and Perfumes is supported by the Collège de France Foundation, the Maison Gérard Bertrand and the Domaine Le Mas des Tourelles.

Exhibition produced by the Collège de France, with the exceptional participation of the Musée du Louvre, in collaboration with the Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives and in partnership with the Centre Jean-Bérard in Naples, the École française de Rome, the Centre Camille-Jullian at Aix-Marseille University, the École française d'Athènes, the Institut français d'archéologie orientale in Cairo, Oxford University, the University of Leicester and the British Institute for Libyan and Northern African Studies.

General curators: Jean-Pierre Brun, Professor at the Collège de France, chair Techniques and Economies in the Ancient Mediterranean and Dario Mantovani, Professor at the Collège de France, chair Law, Culture and Society in Ancient Rome.

Curated by: Julien Auber de Lapierre, exhibition manager, Collège de France.

The Collège de France would like to express its sincere thanks to all lenders:
- Ampuis, Marcel Guigal collection;
- Grasse, Musée international de la parfumerie collection;
- Lyon, collection of the Service régional de l'archéologue d'Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Ministère de la Culture;
- Lyon, Musée des Beaux-Arts;
- Lyon, Service archéologique de la Ville de Lyon;
- Marseille, Service archéologique de la métropole d'Aix-Marseille-Provence;
- Paris, Musée du Louvre, Département des Antiquités grecques, étrusques et romaines;
- Toulon, Centre archéologique du Var, collection du Service régional de l'archéologie de Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, Ministère de la Culture et Ville de Toulon.

Caption for illustration: Black-figured amphora with harvest scene. AM 1008 (© 2019 Musée du Louvre, Dist. GrandPalaisRmn/Hervé Lewandowski).