{{Short description|Gallo-Roman thermal complex in Valognes}} {{Infobox historic site |name=Ancient Baths of ''Alauna'' |image=Vue générale des thermes antiques de valognes 1.JPG |caption=View of remains from the north. |alt=Color photograph of ruined walls on a grassy esplanade. |location=[[Manche]], [[France]] |region=[[Normandy (administrative region)|Normandy]] |type=[[Thermae|Roman baths]] |image_map=Manche department relief location map.jpg |coordinates={{Coord|49|30|26|N|1|27|19|W|display=inline}} |elevation={{cvt|38|m}} |length= |condition=Protected as [[Monument historique|Historical monument]] ([[1862]])<ref>{{Cite web |title=Notice no PA00110633 |url=https://www.pop.culture.gouv.fr/notice/merimee/PA00110633 |website=[[Base Mérimée]], [[Ministry of Culture (France)|Ministry of Culture]], open heritage platform. |language=fr}}</ref> }} The '''ancient baths of ''Alauna''''' are a [[Thermae|Gallo-Roman thermal complex]] located in the [[Communes of France|French commune]] of [[Valognes]] in the north of [[Manche]].
North of the [[Vicus|ancient city]] of [[Alauna, France|Alauna]], now covered by pastures and hedgerows of the Norman [[bocage]] in the 21st century, the baths are situated near a road considered the ''[[Cardo|cardo maximus]]''. It is believed that they were constructed in the latter part of the first century and fell out of use two centuries later. The masonry of the baths was repurposed over time, but the site saw some reinvestment towards the end of the [[Middle Ages]]. The baths of ''Alauna'' exhibit a symmetrical architecture, featuring identical rooms on both sides of an axis, placing them in the category of baths with a symmetrical plan, similar to the [[Baths of Nero]], albeit on a smaller scale (1,225 m<sup>2</sup>).
The remains, still partially standing at about twelve meters, have been a part of the landscape since [[Ancient history|antiquity]]. In the late 17th century, they were officially recognized as the ruins of an ancient thermal establishment. The site was completely excavated in the early 1990s, and its plan was fully restored before being developed into an archaeological garden. Recent studies are uncovering probable annex buildings near the complex.
The baths of ''Alauna'' have been protected as a [[Monument historique|historical monument]] since 1862.
== Geography and archaeological context ==
=== The baths in the contemporary landscape === [[File:Alauna - relief.svg|left|thumb|''Alauna'' relief map.]] ''Alauna'' is situated 1.6 km southeast of the modern town of Alleaume (commune of [[Valognes]], [[Manche]] [[Departments of France|department]]).<ref name=":0">{{Harvsp|Fichet de Clairefontaine|2004|p=488}}</ref> It is on the northwest edge of a [[plateau]] between two parallel [[thalweg]]s running northwest, which border it to the east and west.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Paez-Rezende |first1=Laurent |last2=Jeanne |first2=Laurence |last3=Duclos |first3=Caroline |date=2013 |title=Agglomération antique d'Alleaume - La Victoire : sondages programmés 1re année : Rapport 2013 |url=https://agglomeration-alauna.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2013_-_Lagglomeration_antique_dAlauna_-.pdf |journal=DRAC/Conseil général de la Manche/INRAP |language=fr |pages=42}}</ref> The thermal complex is situated at the eastern end of Rue du Balnéaire, outside the main built-up area of Alleaume and to the southeast of the settlement. It is located on the slope of the left bank of the [[Merderet]] valley, with the towns of Valognes and Alleaume on the opposite side of the river.<ref group="A">{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2012|p=63}}</ref>
The depression through which the Merderet River flows is partially filled with [[Hettangian]] deposits ([[Early Jurassic]]) as a result of a [[marine transgression]] that encroached upon the western edge of the [[Paris Basin]]. Local geological materials such as red clays, sands, gravel, and [[Rhaetian]] pebbles ([[Late Triassic]]) from the plateau, as well as Jurassic limestone from the slopes, are utilized in the construction of buildings in Alauna, including the baths.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Masse d'eau souterraine HG402 : Trias du Cotentin est et Bessin |url=https://sigessn.brgm.fr/files/FichesMESO/Fiches_completes/Fiche_MESO_FRHG402_Seine-Normandie.pdf |access-date=November 7, 2021 |website=sigessn.brgm.fr |page=9 |language=fr}}</ref>
=== The baths within ''Alauna'' === [[File:Alauna - site.svg|thumb|236x236px|''Alauna''<nowiki/>'s hypothetical plan.]] The baths are situated near the northwest boundary of the ancient city of ''Alauna''.<ref name=":0" /> While most of the ''Alauna'' site is at an altitude above 50 m, reaching up to 60 m near the ancient theatre, the other part follows the slope of the valley on slopes descending towards the Merderet River, sometimes reaching a 10% gradient. The baths are constructed almost at the base of the plateau, at an altitude of 38 m, occupying the lowest point of the ancient city.<ref name=":0" group="AG">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005a|p=45}}</ref> It appears that the main road running through ''Alauna'' from south to north (''[[Cardo|cardo maximus]]'') served the baths before continuing north towards the [[Cotentin Peninsula]] to [[Fermanville]] and/or [[Cherbourg]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Taboué |first=Antoinette |date=1999 |title=Alauna et les voies anciennes du Nord-Est du Cotentin |journal=Annales de Normandie |language=fr |volume=49 |issue=1 |pages=7 |doi=10.3406/annor.1999.1198}}</ref>
The baths and spectacles in the eastern part of the ancient city are the known monumental structures discovered through excavations.<ref>{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2021|pages=113–114}}</ref> Additionally, a forum in the center and several sanctuaries are confirmed to have existed.<ref>{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2021|pages=|p=86}}</ref> The central area of the city was densely populated, with craftwork being prominent on the outskirts. Recent findings indicate that ''Alauna'' was a larger city than previously believed, potentially housing a population of 3,000 to 4,000 residents.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=August 8, 2014 |title=Archéologie : les fouilles révèlent la ville romaine d'Alauna |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/valognes-50700/archeologie-les-fouilles-revelent-la-ville-romaine-dalauna-2751350 |journal=[[Ouest-France]] |language=fr}}</ref> The presence of a small thermal establishment north of the city raises questions about the existence of a larger complex, possibly located at the northeast corner of the cardo ''maximus'' and ''decumanus'' maximus. Excavations in 1695 and 1981 (revealed evidence of ''tubuli'' and a tiled floor, suggesting the presence of a balneum, either private or public) in that area.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Paez-Rezende |first1=Laurent |last2=Jeanne |first2=Laurence |last3=Duclos |first3=Caroline |date=2017 |title=Agglomération antique d'Alleaume : La Victoire, le Castelet, post-fouille 4e année : rapport 2016 |url=https://agglomeration-alauna.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2016_-_La_Victoire_Le_Castelet_-_Lagglom.pdf |journal=Conseil départemental de la Manche/INRAP |language=fr |pages=188}}</ref>
== History ==
=== The site in Antiquity and the Middle Ages === [[File:Alauna - vue générale - Lepoittevin.jpg|left|thumb|Evocation of ''Alauna'' in the 2nd century, with the thermal baths on the far left.]] The baths are situated on a plot that was originally surrounded by ditches, which were partially filled in for the construction. On the site, a brick kiln, a well, and another masonry structure of unknown purpose were found. These findings are believed to date back to the early [[Roman Gaul|Roman period]] and may be associated with the construction of the baths. There is no evidence of prior occupation on the site.<ref name=":1" group="AG">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005a|p=46}}</ref><ref group="F">{{Harvsp|Follain|2007|p=10}}</ref>
The construction of the baths in ''Alauna'' likely took place in the second half of the 1st century, around 60 to 80 AD, during the city's development and expansion phase when its main monuments were being built.<ref name=":1" group="AG" /> This early construction period aligns with the broader trend of bath development in Gaul during the early [[Nerva–Antonine dynasty|Antonine dynasty]] (98-192 AD).<ref>{{Harvsp|Bedon|Pinon|Chevallier|1988|p=292}}</ref> Unlike other thermal establishments, the ''Alauna'' complex did not undergo significant modifications over time. [[Latrine]]s were added against the western wall near the water inlet, and an external pool may have been attached to the same room, but the exact dates of these additions are unknown.<ref group="F">{{Harvsp|Follain|2007|p=24}}</ref> By the end of the 3rd century, the baths fell into disuse, and their masonry was gradually dismantled and [[Spolia|repurposed]] in new constructions over the following centuries,<ref name=":0" group="PN">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005b|p=18}}</ref> reflecting the overall decline of the city of ''Alauna'' during that period.<ref>{{Harvsp|Fichet de Clairefontaine|2004|p=487}}</ref>
The site remained inactive until the end of the [[Middle Ages]] when a hamlet was built there. Some of its buildings were supported by the westernmost walls of the baths, while the recovery of stones continued on the rest of the structure, up to the extraction of the foundation blocks. These demolition materials were reused on-site for new constructions. This phase of "differentiated reuse" explains the distribution of the preserved remains in elevation in modern times, protected from destruction by their inclusion in other buildings that were later destroyed.<ref name=":0" group="PN" /><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Lepert |first=Thierry |date=1991 |title=Chronique des fouilles médiévales - Le Moulin d'Alleaumes (Valognes) |url=https://www.persee.fr/doc/arcme_0153-9337_1991_num_21_1_997_t1_0296_0000_4 |journal=Archéologie médiévale |language=fr |volume=XXI |pages=296–297}}</ref>
=== Historical mentions and contemporary studies === [[File:Recueil d'antiquités égyptiennes, étrusques, greques et romaines (1752) (14580027549).jpg|thumb|The thermal baths (drawings by René Cevet).|250x250px]] In 1688, Louis Le Vavasseur de Masseville reported the tradition of an ancient city at the site of Alleaume, mentioning the "old castle of Vallongnes,"<ref>{{Cite book |last=Le Vavasseur de Masseville |first=Louis |title=Histoire sommaire de Normandie |date=1688 |publisher=Veuve d’Antoine Maurry et Pierre Ferrand |edition=1st |volume=1 |pages=310–311 |language=fr}}</ref> sometimes attributed to [[Clovis I|Clovis]].<ref>{{Harvsp|Muller|2006|p=3}}</ref>{{refn|group=N|Due to their sturdy construction and numerous rooms, [[Thermae|Roman baths]] were often mistaken for ancient "palaces" or medieval "fortresses" in past centuries before being correctly identified.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Coulon |first=Gérard |title=Voyage en Gaule romaine |date=2016 |publisher=[[Actes Sud]] - [[Éditions Errance]] |isbn=978-2-87772-612-2 |edition=4th |location=Arles |pages=68 |language=fr}}</ref>}} In 1695, Nicolas-Joseph Foucault, the intendant of the generalité of Caen, commissioned excavations at the site. The [[Jesuits|Jesuit]] Pierre-Joseph Dunod, who supervised the works, identified the ruins as an ancient bathhouse, not a castle.<ref group="A">{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2012|p=|pages=26–27}}</ref> However, a plan published by [[Bernard de Montfaucon]] in 1722 erroneously depicts the baths of Vieux-la-Romaine instead.<ref group="PN">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005b|p=15}}</ref> Despite a correction by de Montfaucon, some authors, including Jean-Louis Adam in 1905, adopted the incorrect plan.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Adam |first=Jean-Louis |url=https://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgallica.bnf.fr%2Fark%3A%2F12148%2Fbpt6k5489703m%2Ff602.item |title=Cherbourg et le Cotentin / Congrès de l'Association française pour l'avancement des sciences, 3-10 août 1905 |date=1905 |publisher=E. Le Maout |pages=588 |language=fr |chapter=Valognes}}</ref> It was not until 1953 that [[Albert Grenier (historian)|Albert Grenier]] highlighted the importance of this correction, which had previously gone unnoticed.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Grenier |first=Albert |date=1953 |title=Les thermes de Valognes n'existent pas |journal=Le Bas Pays Normand |language=fr |issue=97 |pages=2–4}}</ref>{{refn|group=N|This clarification by Albert Grenier, though perhaps imprecise and clumsy in its form, sparked reactions from local scholars who mistakenly believed Grenier was questioning the existence of baths in Valognes. Grenier clarified that he meant "the baths, as depicted on Montfaucon's plan, do not exist in Valognes." <ref>{{Cite book |last1=Jeanne |first1=Laurence |title=Valognes (Manche - 50) « Alauna » - L'agglomération antique d'Alleaume : Prospection thématique 2012 : document final de synthèse |last2=Duclos |first2=Caroline |last3=Paez-Rezende |first3=Laurent |date=2012b |publisher=Conseil général de la Manche |series=Annexes documentaires |volume=2 |pages=259–260 |language=fr}}</ref>}}
In the seventh volume of his ''Collection of Egyptian, Etruscan, Greek, Roman, and Gallic Antiquities'', [[Anne Claude de Caylus]] published accurate drawings and partial plans of the baths in 1765, created by the engineer René Cevet.<ref group="A">{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2012|p=35|pages=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=de Caylus |first=Anne Claude |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/btv1b86263497/f549.item |title=Recueil d'antiquités égyptiennes, étrusques, grecques, romaines et gauloises |date=1765 |publisher=Desaint et Saillant |volume=VII |language=fr}}</ref> In 1772 and 1773, the owner of the baths' plot began demolishing the ruins using explosives and artillery.<ref>{{Harvsp|Muller|2006|p=9}}</ref> Only the walls that were still in good condition resisted and were mostly preserved, while other parts of the structure (such as floors, [[hypocaust]]s of the heated rooms, and poorly preserved walls) were destroyed.<ref name=":1">{{Harvsp|de Gerville|1844|p=13}}</ref> [[File:Alauna - thermes 1900.jpg|left|thumb|The "Château" (c. 1900).]] In the 19th century, the ruins no longer reminded many residents of ancient Roman baths; only the name ''Vieux-Château'' (''Old Castle'') remained.<ref name=":2">{{Harvsp|de Gerville|1844|p=14}}</ref> [[Charles-Alexis-Adrien Duhérissier de Gerville|Charles de Gerville]] resumed excavations in the early 1840s and documented the destruction from the previous century by comparing his findings to old plans. He discovered traces of the [[Aqueduct (water supply)|aqueduct]] that supplied the baths.<ref name=":0" group="A">{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2012|p=28|pages=}}</ref> The Normandy Antiquarian Society continued Gerville's work at Alleaume in 1845 but was unable to access the baths due to the landowner's restrictions.<ref>{{Harvsp|Delalande|1846|p=327}}</ref><ref group="A">{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2012|p=27|pages=}}</ref> The remains of the thermal establishment have been safeguarded as [[Monument historique|historical monuments]] since their classification in 1862.
The baths, along with the entire archaeological site, were spared from the intensive bombings that devastated Valognes in June 1944 during the [[Operation Overlord|Normandy campaign]].<ref>{{Cite journal |date=June 19, 2014 |title=Valognes : ville de ruines, les témoins se souviennent |url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/valognes-50700/valognes-ville-de-ruines-les-temoins-se-souviennent-2638660 |journal=[[Ouest-France]] |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{Harvsp|Muller|2006|p=11}}</ref> It was not until 1954 to 1968 that new surveys were carried out on the monument, and the remains were then stabilized. Between 1989 and 1992, at the request of the municipality of Valognes to prepare for the site's enhancement, the baths underwent complete excavation, their layout was finalized, and their timeline was clarified.<ref group="A">{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2012|p=29|pages=}}</ref>
In 2020, as part of the multi-year and multidisciplinary study program of ''Alauna'' initiated in 2012 under the coordination of the [[French National Centre for Scientific Research|National Centre for Scientific Research]], the [[University of Caen Normandy|University of Caen-Normandy]], and the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research, the immediate environment of the baths underwent [[ground-penetrating radar]] exploration.<ref name=":3">{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2021|p=|pages=110–111}}</ref>
=== Remains and enhancement === The visible remnants, reaching up to 12 metres in height, belong to three rooms situated in the southwest of the building: a tepidarium, an ''unctorium'', and a ''sudatorium''. Additionally, the base of several other walls and the traces of trenches dug to uncover their foundations enable the reconstruction of the layout of the complex.<ref name=":0" group="AG" /> The baths of ''Alauna'', together with the ancient theatre of [[Lillebonne]], are the sole Roman-era structures in [[Normandy (administrative region)|Normandy]] that have been preserved in elevation.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Riel |first=Laurent |title=La Normandie gallo-romaine révélée par l'archéologie |url=https://www.histoire-normandie.fr/la-normandie-gallo-romaine |access-date=January 21, 2022 |website=histoire-normandie.fr |language=fr}}</ref>
In the 21st century, the restored baths site has been transformed into an archaeological garden that is open to the public.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Groupe Antiquité de Basse-Normandie |url=https://www.culture.gouv.fr/regions/DRAC-Normandie/Publications/Archeologie/Bilans-de-la-recherche-archeologique-en-Basse-Normandie-1984-2004/Bilan-de-la-recherche-archeologique-en-Basse-Normandie-1984-2004-Vol-II-L-antiquite |title=Bilan de la recherche archéologique en Basse-Normandie 1984-2004 |date=2011 |publisher=DRAC-SRA Basse-Normandie |series=L'Antiquité |volume=II |pages=30 |language=fr}}</ref> It serves as the starting point for guided tours organized by the Agglomération antique d'Alauna (Ancient Agglomeration of Alauna Association or AAA) in partnership with the Clos du Cotentin [[French Towns and Lands of Art and History|Art and History Region]], especially during the [[European Heritage Days]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gallier |first=Corinne |date=September 26, 2020 |title=Un triomphe pour le site antique |journal=[[La Presse de la Manche]] |language=fr}}</ref>
== Description == [[File:Plan des thermes d'alauna.svg|thumb|266x266px|Plan of the baths in their original state.{{Legend|#f4d7d7|warm room}}{{Legend|#f6ffd5|lukewarm room}}{{Legend|#d7eef4|cold room}}]]
=== The ''actus quadratus'' === The baths cover an area of 1,225 m<sup>2</sup> and are located within a square measuring 36.5 m on each side,<ref name=":4">{{Cite book |last=Groupe Antiquité de Basse-Normandie |url=https://www.culture.gouv.fr/content/download/26534/file/BILAN%20ANTIQUIT%C3%89%202011.pdf?inLanguage=fre-FR |title=Bilan de la recherche archéologique en Basse-Normandie 1984-2004 |date=2011 |publisher=DRAC-SRA Basse-Normandie |series=L'Antiquité |volume=II |pages=95 |language=fr}}</ref> corresponding precisely to an ''actus quadratus'' (120 [[Foot (unit)|Roman feet]] on each side). This area is divided into three modules from north to south and four modules from east to west.<ref group="F">{{Harvsp|Follain|2007|p=22}}</ref> The estimated height of the baths is 12 m, which is one-third of an ''actus''. The tallest remaining structures measure 12 m, indicating the maximum height of the baths.<ref name=":1" group="PN">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005b|p=17}}</ref> The width of the outer walls of the thermal complex is also determined by this principle, measuring 1.20 m, equivalent to 4 Roman feet, or one-thirtieth of an ''actus''.<ref name=":2" group="AG">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005a|p=49}}</ref>
=== Symmetrical plan baths === [[File:Valognes - Thermes d Alauna.jpg|left|thumb|''Frigidarium'' pool.]] The rooms are symmetrically arranged around a central axis, starting from the east with a cold plunge pool in the [[apse]], a ''[[frigidarium]]'', a ''[[caldarium]]'' featuring an octagonal hot pool measuring 7.30 meters wide and 1 meter deep, and a ''[[sudatorium]]''. Flanking this axis are identical rooms: [[apodyterium]] (changing room), unctorium (treatment room), and ''[[tepidarium]]''. This layout follows the pattern of "symmetrical plan baths," a design concept first seen in the [[Baths of Nero]] constructed in Rome between 62 and 64 AD,<ref name=":4" /> which aligns with the presumed construction date of the baths of ''Alauna''.<ref name=":3" group="AG">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005a|p=48}}</ref> Visitors access and exit the facility through the two apodyteria located on the eastern side of the complex, facing the nearby road.<ref name=":2" group="PN">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005b|p=16}}</ref>
The decision to replicate specific rooms likely serves the purpose of adjusting the bath's capacity based on usage rather than segregating men and women, who will ultimately convene at the pools and sudatorium, shared spaces.<ref>{{Harvsp|Malissard|2002|pages=119–120}}</ref> Additionally, this approach enables the maintenance of a portion of the complex, a project that may span several months<ref>{{Harvsp|Bedon|Pinon|Chevallier|1988|pages=|p=303}}</ref> without entirely disrupting its operation.<ref name=":3" group="AG" />
=== Optimized architecture ===
==== Natural topography exploited to the full ==== [[File:Alauna 01.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|Overview of the site.]] There is an area designated for service and maintenance activities to the west of the baths. This area supplies the ''praefurnia'' with firewood, which can be stored on-site. High openings in the walls provide access to the roofs of the baths, with one of these passages visible in drawings by René Cevet but later bricked up.<ref name=":1" group="PN" /> Additionally, this zone has the lowest natural ground level, allowing the builders to take advantage of the natural slope to install the hot rooms. This design choice eliminates the need for extensive excavations to create the 1.25 m high service basement required for the proper functioning of these rooms (ovens and [[hypocaust]]s for underfloor heating).<ref group="AG">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005a|p=47}}</ref>{{refn|group=N|The east-west orientation of the Alauna baths, dictated by the site's topography, deviates from the typical layout of baths with symmetrical plans. These baths are usually oriented north-south, with the hot rooms positioned to the south to maximize sunlight. <ref>{{Cite book |last1=Duret |first1=Luc |title=Urbanisme et métamorphoses de la Rome antique |last2=Néraudau |first2=Jean-Pierre |date=2001 |publisher=[[Les Belles Lettres]] |isbn=2-251-33817-9 |series=Realia |location=Paris |pages=257 |language=fr}}</ref>}}
All rooms in the complex are interconnected, except for the ''caldarium'' and ''frigidarium'', to prevent heat loss.<ref name=":2" group="PN" /> The heating system of the complex is maintained by three ''praefurnia'' connected to the ''sudatorium''. The furnaces distribute heat to the ''sudatorium'', ''caldarium'', and its pool through the hypocaust system and heat outlets that link these underground spaces. Hot air from the hypocausts is expelled through terracotta ''tubuli'' embedded in the walls.<ref group="F">{{Harvsp|Follain|2007|p=12}}</ref>
==== Simple construction ==== [[File:Thermes d’Alleaume (août 2011) 2.jpg|left|thumb|254x254px|Tiles and rubble in a bay frame.]] The walls are thick, with the caldarium walls reaching around 2 meters, likely for thermal insulation and roof support.<ref group="PN">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005b|p=14}}</ref> They are constructed using [[rubble masonry]], sandwiched between two [[Cladding (construction)|claddings]] of small regular blocks (''[[opus vittatum]]'') of limestone rubble (12 × 12 cm), with corner reinforcements made of larger rubble of the same nature.<ref>{{Harvsp|Macé|1959|p=388}}</ref> [[Ceramic building material]] (CBM) is incorporated in the arches of openings, doors, and windows<ref name=":1" /> to ensure strength and enhance aesthetics.<ref name=":1" group="PN" /> In the lower parts of the ''sudatorium'', CBM is used alone due to its [[Refractory|refractory qualities]], in contact with the ''praefurnia'' and forming the mass of the hot pool.<ref group="F">{{Harvsp|Follain|2007|p=|page=|pages=8 and 16}}</ref> The absence of CBM in alternating layers with the rubble in the facing of the walls (''[[opus mixtum]]'') suggests the baths were constructed before the 2nd century, a time when this architectural feature was becoming more common.<ref name=":2" group="PN" />
The outer walls do not appear to have been coated with plaster, relying on the alternation of stones and bricks for decoration, along with protrusions and recesses creating depth and shadow effects. The interior decoration of the rooms, likely richer with painted plaster or veneers as is often the case,<ref>{{Harvsp|Coulon|2006|p=173}}</ref> remains unknown, with any usable traces having disappeared,<ref group="AG">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005a|p=50}}</ref> except for limestone slabs covering the floor and walls of the cold pool.<ref name=":0" group="F">{{Harvsp|Follain|2007|p=16}}</ref> These slabs possibly cover a [[tile]] mortar for waterproofing the cold pool. The hot pool may have had a similar waterproofing treatment, as witnesses described a "basin in reddish [[stucco]]" according to de Gerville.<ref name=":2" />
==== Roof hypotheses ==== The construction of the bath's roof and its integration into the walls is still a topic of debate due to the lack of remaining evidence. The heated rooms, including the ''sudatorium'', ''caldarium'', and ''tepidaria'', are covered with masonry vaults designed to retain heat and moisture. These vaults appear to be supported by an internal recess in the walls, although the existence of a framework and roof above them is uncertain. The cold pool, distinguished by its apse-shaped design, is probably covered by a [[semi-dome]] vault.<ref group="F">{{Harvsp|Follain|2007|p=20}}</ref>
It seems that the peripheral walls of the baths are higher than the roof insertion level, concealing it. This explains the need for high passages in the walls for maintenance, with the roof essentially being "embedded" in the building.<ref group="AG">{{Harvsp|Follain|Lepert|2005a|pages=50–51}}</ref> Other reconstructions propose a more traditional method of inserting the roof onto the building's walls.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Les thermes |url=http://agglomeration-alauna.fr/index.php/2020/02/21/les-termes/#more-131 |access-date=January 21, 2022 |website=agglomeration-alauna.fr |language=fr}}</ref> [[File:Thermes Alauna - façade est.png|center|thumb|404x404px|Hypotheses for the restoration of the roof (view of the eastern facade).]]
=== Water supply and drainage === [[File:Thermes de valognes Arrivée de l'eau 2.JPG|thumb|Completion of the aqueduct in the spa wall.]] The ''Fontaine du Bus'' or ''Fontaine du Bû'' is a spring located near the [[Ancient theater of Alauna|theater]] to the east of the site at an altitude of 57 meters. In the 21st century, it is used as a water source for the town. Historical excavations reveal that the spring supplies water to the baths through a system of artificial regulation and a retention pond,<ref>{{Harvsp|Macé|1959|p=391}}</ref> followed by an 800-meter-long aqueduct with a 19-meter drop. The aqueduct is mostly underground, except for a section near the baths where it is above ground.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Adam |first=Jean-Louis |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k5489703m/f601.item |title=Cherbourg et le Cotentin / Congrès de l'Association française pour l'avancement des sciences |date=1905 |publisher=E. Le Maout |pages=587 |language=fr |chapter=Valognes}}</ref><ref name=":0" group="A" /> Although remnants of this aqueduct were identified in the 17th century ([[manhole]]s, a 40 cm-wide, tile-covered section of conduit), recent research in the 21st century has not found any traces of it. The aqueduct terminates in the southern wall of the tepidarium, where it transitions into a groove along the wall and enters the baths through the ''sudatorium''.<ref name=":0" group="F" /> It is believed that at this point, the water was carried through a lead pipe supported by masonry pillars or wooden posts.<ref name=":3" group="AG" />
In the northern part of the settlement, an area served by the ''Alauna'' roads but sparsely built, a [[ground-penetrating radar]] survey in 2020 revealed "anomalies" that could correspond to channels, tubular or covered trench pipelines, as well as tanks or reservoirs. It is currently premature to assign a role to these features in the water supply of the city in general and the baths in particular.<ref>{{Harvsp|Jeanne|Duclos|Paez-Rezende|2021|pages=108–110}}</ref> If these anomalies do indicate the presence of the water supply system in ''Alauna'', the absence of constructions in this sector could be due to a prohibition on building too close to the aqueduct to preserve the quality of its water.{{refn|group=N|The creation of a protective perimeter is a regulatory requirement, as demonstrated by two boundary markers located near the Gier aqueduct in the Rhône region. These markers replicate the text of a decree issued by Hadrian.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Burdy |first=Jean |date=2001 |title=Une nouvelle borne de protection de l'aqueduc romain du Gier (Lyon) |journal=Bulletin de la Société nationale des antiquaires de France |volume=1997 |language=fr |issue=1997 |pages=152–161 |doi=10.3406/bsnaf.2001.10181}}</ref>}} It may also be "[[Land development|developed land]]" in anticipation of urban expansion that was never realized.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Paez-Rezende |first1=Laurent |url=https://agglomeration-alauna.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2014_-_Lagglomeration_antique_dAlauna_-.pdf |title=Agglomération antique d'Alleaume : La Victoire, le Castelet, sondages programmés 2e année : rapport 2014 |last2=Jeanne |first2=Laurence |last3=Duclos |first3=Caroline |date=2014 |publisher=Conseil général de la Manche/INRAP |pages=163 |language=fr}}</ref>
A gutter for draining water from the cold pool downhill towards the Merderet is located north of the thermal complex. It likely also collects water from the roof, as it surrounds the wall of the apse externally.<ref name=":2" group="AG" /> The drainage system of the hot pool, which included a channel directed outside the building, was discovered in 1695 and is depicted on historical plans. Unfortunately, it was destroyed in the 18th century along with the pool.<ref>{{Harvsp|Macé|1959|p=390}}</ref>
=== Envisaged annexed structures === A 2020 survey partially uncovered a structure northeast of the thermal establishment, covering an area of approximately 1,200 m². This structure seems to consist of a courtyard surrounded by a [[peristyle]], possibly the [[palaestra]], a feature commonly found near baths but not previously identified in ''Alauna''. Situated between the baths and the ''cardo maximus'', a partitioned building may be associated with the thermal complex, housing rooms with various functions such as a gymnasium. However, it differs from the baths and could potentially be a ''[[mansio]]'' located at the northern entrance of the city, not aligned with the baths but with the road.<ref name=":3" />
For functional reasons, the palaestra and gymnasium are typically situated near the entrance of the baths.<ref>{{Harvsp|Malissard|2002|p=113}}</ref>
== Notes and references ==
=== Notes === <references group="N" />
=== References ===
* {{Cite journal |date=April 2005 |title=L'étude novatrice d'un vestige antique, les thermes d'Alauna |journal=[[Archéologia]] |language=fr}} <references group="AG" />
* {{Cite journal |date=2005 |title=Les thermes gallo-romains de Valognes |journal=[[Patrimoine Normand]] |language=fr}} <references group="PN" /> * {{Cite journal |date=2007 |title=Thermes d'Alauna : guide de visite |journal=Ville de Valognes |language=fr}} <references group="F" />
* {{Cite journal |date=2012 |title=Valognes (Manche - 50) « Alauna » - L'agglomération antique d'Alleaume - Prospection thématique 2012 |journal=Manche General Council |language=fr}} <references group="A" />
* Other references <references />
== Further information == === Bibliography ===
* {{Cite book |last1=Bedon |first1=Robert |title=Architecture et urbanisme en Gaule romaine : L'architecture et la ville |last2=Pinon |first2=Pierre |last3=Chevallier |first3=Raymond |date=1988 |publisher=[[Éditions Errance]] |isbn=2-903442-79-7 |series=Les Hespérides |volume=1 |location=Paris |language=fr}} * {{Cite book |last=Coulon |first=Gérard |title=Les Gallo-Romains |date=2006 |publisher=[[Éditions Errance]] |isbn=2-87772-331-3 |series=Civilisations et cultures |location=Paris |language=fr}} * {{Cite book |last=Delalande |first=Arsène |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k200061t/f398 |title=Rapport sur le fouilles exécutées à Valognes |date=1846 |publisher=Mémoires de la Société des antiquaires de Normandie |volume=XIV (1844) |pages=317–331 |language=fr}} * {{Cite journal |last=Fichet de Clairefontaine |first=François |date=2004 |title=Valognes/Alauna |journal=[[Revue archéologique du Centre de la France]]}} * {{Cite journal |last1=Follain |first1=Éric |last2=Lepert |first2=Thierry |date=April 2005a |title=L'étude novatrice d'un vestige antique, les thermes d'Alauna |journal=[[Archéologia]] |language=fr |issue=421 |pages=42–51}} * {{Cite journal |last1=Follain |first1=Éric |last2=Lepert |first2=Thierry |date=2005b |title=Les thermes gallo-romains de Valognes |url=https://www.patrimoine-normand.com/article-148535-valognes-thermes-gallo-romains.html |journal=[[Patrimoine Normand]] |language=fr |issue=54 |pages=14–19}} * {{Cite book |last=Follain |first=Éric |title=Thermes d'Alauna : guide de visite |date=2007 |publisher=Valognes |language=fr}} * {{Cite book |last=de Gerville |first=Charles |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k857383k.image |title=Monuments romains d'Alleaume |date=1844 |publisher=Valognes |language=fr}} * {{Cite book |last1=Jeanne |first1=Laurence |url=https://agglomeration-alauna.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/2012_-_Valognes_Manche-50_-_Alauna_-_Agg.pdf |title=Valognes (Manche - 50) « Alauna » - L'agglomération antique d'Alleaume : Prospection thématique 2012 : document final de synthèse |last2=Duclos |first2=Caroline |last3=Paez-Rezende |first3=Laurent |date=2012 |publisher=Conseil général de la Manche |series=Résultats |volume=1 |language=fr}} * {{Cite book |last1=Jeanne |first1=Laurence |url= |title=Agglomération antique d'Alleaume : La Victoire/le Castelet, géoradar 7e année : rapport 2020 |last2=Duclos |first2=Caroline |last3=Paez-Rezende |first3=Laurent |date=2021 |publisher=DRAC Normandie/Conseil général de la Manche |series= |volume= |language=fr }} * {{Cite book |last=Macé |first=Jacques |title=Les ruines antiques d'Alauna, près de Valognes |date=1959 |publisher=Bulletin de la Société des antiquaires de Normandie |volume=LIV (1957-1958) |pages=384–395 |language=fr}} * {{Cite book |last=Malissard |first=Alain |title=Les Romains et l'eau |date=2002 |publisher=[[Les Belles Lettres]] |isbn=2-251-33814-4 |series=Réalia |language=fr}} * {{Cite journal |last=Muller |first=Michel |date=2006 |title=Du vieux château au balnéaire, histoire des fouilles d'Alauna |journal=Val'auna, revue historique sur Valognes et les alentours |language=fr |issue=9 |pages=3–12}}
== External links == {{Sister project links}}
* Ressource relative à l'architecture: {{Cite web |title=Mérimée |url=https://agglomeration-alauna.fr/index.php/2020/02/21/les-termes/#more-131 |language=fr}} * {{Cite web |title=Page des thermes sur le blog de l'association Agglomération antique d'Alauna |url=https://agglomeration-alauna.fr/index.php/2020/02/21/les-termes/#more-131 |language=fr}} {{Portal|Ancient Rome }}
[[Category:Ancient Roman baths in France]] [[Category:Monuments historiques of Manche]]