Archaeologists working beneath Paris's Hôtel-Dieu hospital have uncovered a stone-and-wood wall that may reshape understanding of the city's earliest beginnings. Found on Île de la Cité, the central island in the Seine, the structure measures about 22 metres and is dated to between 200 BCE and 10 BCE.
The discovery provides rare physical evidence of a pre-Roman settlement in the heart of modern Paris. Nearby finds, including a Gallic spearhead, strengthen the case that the island was home to the Parisii, the community linked to the later name of the French capital.
A New Chapter for Lutetia
For decades, researchers debated whether ancient Lutetia stood on Île de la Cité or in Nanterre, west of Paris, where substantial Gallic-era remains had previously been identified. The newly uncovered wall adds significant weight to the island theory.
Matthieu Poux of the University of Lyon II, who had previously questioned the Île de la Cité location, said the excavation has substantially expanded the available archaeological evidence. Charred seeds and traces of a wooden structure found around the wall may also help researchers better understand the site's construction phases and changing use over time.
The French Ministry of Culture has indicated that further study is needed to determine the wall's precise function. Additional excavations are planned around the hospital, while the structure is expected to be carefully removed for research and future public display.
This discovery could give Paris a more detailed and tangible connection to its earliest urban story, showing how archaeology continues to enrich the future of historic cities.
