ROMAN TREASURES OF THE RHONEPhotos by Remi Benali-Patrick Landmann/LightMediationText by Alexis Valois

2637-43: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The bust of Julius Caesar discovered by Luc Long in 2007. Today, it is widely recognized as the only portrait that was sculpted during his lifetime and is the most true tohis likeness that has been found. /// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Buste en marbre de Jules Cesar trouve par Luc Long en 2007. Il est considere aujourd'hui comme le seul portrait connu sculpte de son

vivant et pourrait ainsi devenir sa representation la plus fidele connue à ce jour.

Contact - Thierry Tinacci - LightMediation Photo Agency - +33 (0)6 61 80 57 21 email: thierry@lightmediation.com

2637-01: A photograph taken above and below the waterline of the Rhone River with the use of anunderwater housing. A diver from Luc Long's team holds the marble head of the god Mars, found in the

2637-02: The marble head of the God Mars, found in the river at only a few meters from the embankmentsof Arles is the key piece of the archeological campaign of 2009./// Piece maitresse de la campagne 2009,

2637-03: The marble head of the God Mars, found in the river at only a few meters from theembankments of Arles is the key piece of the archeological campaign of 2009./// Piece maitresse de la

2637-04: Head Diver Thierry Willaey and the sculpted marble head that he has found. It is still uncertainwhich god it represents but it is thought to be Jupiter, Neptune or Esculape, the god of medicine and the

2637-05: Head Diver Thierry Willaey and the sculpted marble head that he has found. It is still uncertainwhich god it represents but it is thought to be Jupiter, Neptune or Esculape, the god of medicine and the

2637-06: The headquarters for the archeologists, located several meters from the bridge of highwayN113. /// QG des archeologues, à quelques metres du pont de la N113.

2637-07: The headquarters for the archeologists, located several meters from the bridge of highwayN113. /// QG des archeologues, à quelques metres du pont de la N113.

2637-08: Kim and Laurent, divers and archeologists, hoist aboard a large Gallic amphora that has beenfound by François, a diver for the team. /// Kim et Laurent, plongeurs et archeologues, hissent une belle

2637-05: Head Diver Thierry Willaey and the sculpted marble head that he has found. It is still uncertain which god it represents but it is thought to be Jupiter, Neptune or Esculape, the god of medicine and the doctor thatcared for the Argonauts during their quest for the Golden Fleece. /// Le chef plongeur Thierry Willaey et la tete de marbre qu'il vient de trouver. On ne sait encore quelle divinite elle represente: Jupiter, Neptune ou

Esculape Dieu de la Medecine et medecin de bord des Argonautes dans leur quête de la Toison d'Or.

2637-10: Kim carrying a piece of wood from a shipwreck. /// La plongeuse Kim rapporte la piece de boisd'une epave.

2637-11: A marble stele and a miniature inscribed with a scene from a marriage banquet. The rusted baseindicates that there was also a statue of Venus in the scene. /// Une stele de marbre et une miniature

2637-12: Fragments of marble and amphorae onboard the barge. /// Trouvailles de marbre et d'amphoresà bord de la barge de l'expédition.

2637-14: An archeologist studies and documents each piece that is found in the Rhone, such as thisceramic bowl marked with the head of a lion, the symbol of the city of Arles./// Un archeologue numerote

2637-15: Detail of a ceramic container delicately carved in the form of a dolphin. /// Detail d'uneceramique moulee d'un dauphin.

2637-16: A discovery that has just been brought onboard by a diver. There are dozens of shipwrecks thatline the embankments of Arles. /// Releve realisé par un plongeur. Des dizaines d'epaves sont immergees

2637-17: Michel, the team's artist, is working on an exquisite marble effigy of Venus. A diver as well as anarcheologist, he is renown for having discovered Hermione's shipwreck in the area near Croisic in

2637-18: Drawing of an exquisite marble effigy of Venus./// Dessin d'une exquise miniature de marbre àl'effigie de Venus.

2637-08: Kim and Laurent, divers and archeologists, hoist aboard a large Gallic amphora that has been found by François, a diver for the team. /// Kim et Laurent, plongeurs et archeologues, hissent une belle amphoreGauloise trouvee par François

2637-20: The archeologist Luc Long giving orders to his team of divers. //// L'archeologue Luc Longs'entretient avec ses plongeurs

2637-22: A diver from Luc Long's team looking at the marble head of the god Mars, which has been lyingin the riverbed for 2000 years. /// Un plongeur de l'equipe de Luc Long et la tete de marbre du Dieu Mars

2637-24: A heavy marble column is brought up from underwater./// Operation de levage d'une lourdecolonne de marbre.

2637-25: A heavy marble column is brought up from underwater./// Operation de levage d'une lourdecolonne de marbre.

2637-26: The base of a massive millstone is brought up from underwater. Sculpted out of stone or lava, itis the largest such object ever found and was perhaps used to grind grain for bread to feed the Roman

2637-28: The archeologist Luc Long inspects a heavy marble column that has been brought up from theriverbed. /// Luc Long inspecte un lourd pilier de marbre leve du fleuve.

2637-29: Sculpted marble head of a local magistrate./// Tete d'un notable Arlesien 2637-30: A torso representing Hercules sitting on the skin of the Nemean Lion. Luc Long hopes to find therest of the statue during his next archeological campaign. /// Bassin d'Hercule assis sur son Trophee, la

2637-32: The carved robes of a local magistrate./// Drape d'un magistrat ou d'un notable Arlesien. 2637-33: Amphorae found in the Rhone stacked in the conservatory of the Musée de l'Arles antique.///Reserve du Musee de l'Arles antique et les amphores trouvées dans le Rhone.

2637-34: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. A statue of Neptune being put in place for theexhibition "César, le Rhône pour Mémoire"./// Musee Départemental de l'Arles antique. Manipulation de la

2637-35: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Marble statue of the god Neptune with an inscription atits base dating it to 210-211 AD. /// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Statue en marbre du Dieu

2637-36: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Marble statue of the god Neptune with an inscription atits base dating it to 210-211 AD./// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Statue en marbre du Dieu

2637-37: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Marble statue of the god Neptune with an inscription atits base dating it to 210-211 AD./// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Statue en marbre du Dieu

2637-38: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Statue of the god Neptune that was discovered by LucLong. A cupid riding a dolphin or a sea monster is carved onto the back corner of the statue's base, a

2637-39: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The bust of Julius Caesar discovered by Luc Long in2007. Today, it is widely recognized as the only portrait that was sculpted during his lifetime and is the

2637-59: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Art restorer Frédérique Nicot at work on the effigy of Victory. This 80 centimeter high gold leaf dusted bronze shows a glorious Victory wearing a flowing gown. Anallegorical and symbolic character, the Victory also has marks showing that it was most likely hung in public. Originally, she might have been holding a bow and perhaps also had wings. /// Musee Departemental de

l'Arles antique. La restauratrice Frederique Nicot à l'oeuvre sur la Victoire. Ce chef d'oeuvre de 80 cm en bronze dore à la feuille d'or represente une Victoire aptere dans sa tunique flottante. D'un caractere allegorique etsymbolique, elle presente des traces de fixation destinees à la plaquer sur un edifice public. Elle pouvait brandir un arc.

2637-40: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The bust of Julius Caesar discovered by Luc Long in2007. Today, it is widely recognized as the only portrait that was sculpted during his lifetime and is the

2637-41: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The bust of Julius Caesar discovered by Luc Long in2007. Today, it is widely recognized as the only portrait that was sculpted during his lifetime and is the

2637-42: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The bust of Julius Caesar discovered by Luc Long in2007. Today, it is widely recognized as the only portrait that was sculpted during his lifetime and is the

2637-43: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The bust of Julius Caesar discovered by Luc Long in2007. Today, it is widely recognized as the only portrait that was sculpted during his lifetime and is the

2637-44: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The bust of Julius Caesar discovered by Luc Long in2007. Today, it is widely recognized as the only portrait that was sculpted during his lifetime and is the

2637-45: Musee Départemental de l'Arles antique. A mask of Bacchus where his hair is decorated withvine leaves. It is believed to have originally been part of a mausoleum for a local magistrate. /// Musee

2637-46: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Funerary portrait of a wealthy aristocrat. The hairstyledepicted dates this piece to having been created during Claudius' reign. /// Musee Departemental de

2637-47: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Funerary portrait of a wealthy aristocrat. The hairstyledepicted dates this piece to having been created during Claudius' reign. /// Musee Departemental de

2637-48: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Numerous oil lamps have been found in the Rhone.They date from between the 1st and 2nd century AD and come from Italy as well as local artisans. A wide

2637-49: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. An oil lamp decorated with a camel. Numerous oillamps have been found in the Rhone. They date from between the 1st and 2nd century AD and come

2637-50: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. An oil lamp decorated with an erotic scene. Numerousoil lamps have been found in the Rhone. They date from between the 1st and 2nd century AD and come

2637-51: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. This statue, featuring a melancholy expression,represents either Venus or Junon, Jupiter's wife. /// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Cette statue

2637-52: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. An oil lamp decorated with a camel. Numerous oillamps have been found in the Rhone. They date from between the 1st and 2nd century AD and come from

2637-58: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Decoration on the handle of a jug representingHercules wearing the skin of the Nemean Lion. Found in 1992, it was one of the first pieces discovered by

2637-59: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Art restorer Frédérique Nicot at work on the effigy ofVictory. This 80 centimeter high gold leaf dusted bronze shows a glorious Victory wearing a flowing gown.

2637-61: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The effigy of Victory. This 80 centimeter high gold leafdusted bronze shows a glorious Victory wearing a flowing gown. An allegorical and symbolic character, the

2637-22: Un plongeur de l'equipe de Luc Long et la tete de marbre du Dieu Mars qui repose sur le lit du fleuve depuis 2000 ans.

2637-62: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The effigy of Victory. This 80 centimeter high gold leafdusted bronze shows a glorious Victory wearing a flowing gown. An allegorical and symbolic character, the

2637-63: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Final touches of preparation in the Treasure Room forthe heralded exhibition « César, le Rhône pour Mémoire ». /// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique.

2637-65: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Treasure Room of the heralded exhibition « César, leRhône pour Mémoire ». A statue of Neptune is displayed in front of a giant photo of the bust of Julius

2637-66: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Treasure Room of the heralded exhibition « César, leRhône pour Mémoire ». /// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Salle du Tresor.

2637-67: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. An impressive head of Emperor Augustus that wasdiscovered in the delta of the Rhone River. The sculpture in its entirety is believed to measure between 3.5

2637-69: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The torso of a lion posing on top of a goat's legs. Thispiece is believed to have come from a mausoleum. /// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Base d'un

2637-71: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Plaque representing a Dioscure./// MuseeDepartemental de l'Arles antique. Plaque aux Dioscures.

2637-75: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The first visitors to the exhibition "César, le Rhône pourMémoire" in front of the effigy of Victory./// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Premiers visiteurs de

2637-25: A heavy marble column is brought up from underwater./// Operation de levage d'une lourde colonne de marbre.

2637-76: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. The first visitors to the exhibition "César, le Rhône pourMémoire" in front of the marble statue of Neptune./// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Premiers

2637-77: The archeologist Luc Long standing next to the bust of Julius Caesar that he discovered in theRhone River. /// L'archeologue Luc Long et le portrait de marbre de Jules Cesar qu'il a trouve dans le

2637-78: Claude Sintès, the Head Curator of the Musée de l'Arles antique poses in the midst of theTreasure Room./// Claude Sintes, Conservateur du Musee de l'Arles antique pose dans la salle du Tresor

2637-80: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Watercolor drawing representing the port of Arlesduring the Roman period. Very important: if used these drawings must be given the following credit: J.M

2637-79: Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique. Watercolor drawing representing the port of Arles during the Roman period. Very important: if used these drawings must be given the following credit: J.M Gassend /MdAa/// Musee Departemental de l'Arles antique. Aquarelle reconstituant le port antique et les deux rives de la ville d'Arles.

RomanTreasures ofthe Rhone

For 2000 years, archeological objects ofan inestimable value have been sleepingin the riverbed of the Rhone Riverunderneath the quay of the historic city ofArles, which is listed as a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site. A team of archeologists anddivers has been digging patiently in thesedark waters since twenty years in order toreturn their discoveries to the light of day.They are being presented to the public forthe first time in the exhibition "César, leRhône pour mémoire", the happy endingto an adventure story of a determinedscientific quest in a battle against theever-charging currents of a capriciousriver.

"Through the haze of the water I could justmake out a piece of sculpted beard andpart of a helmet. Then I could see thenose, the eyes?I understood that it was awarrior. My heart started pounding! Oncethe bust had been taken out of the water,Luc knew as soon as he saw it that it wasMars," recalls Avril Boscolo-Savon, hervoice still rife with emotion at the memory.She is a member of the team of diversheaded by Luc Long, an archeologist andthe Head Curator of DRASSM, the FrenchDepartment for Underwater ArcheologicalResearch. For twenty years, he has beenexcavating amidst the dark andtumultuous waters of the Rhone Riverfrom Saint-Marie-de-la-Mer, a village onthe Mediterranean coast, to Arles. Hisdiscoveries during the campaign of 2007,which included a bust of Julius Caesar

that has been acclaimed the world over,have propelled him to the forefront ofscientific research and media interest inFrance.It is the beginning of October and thisyear's campaign is drawing to a close. Agroup of twenty men and women haverotated in teams throughout the summeralongside their director. Theirheadquarters: a boat and a barge mooredon the right bank of the Rhone, oppositeof the center of town and underneath thebridge of the N113 highway. Just abovethem, cars and eighteen-wheelers crossthe river with a continuous hum. Onboard,the divers and archeologists bustle about. A soft sunlight radiates across the forms ofthe various archeological finds that haveaccumulated throughout the mission.Fragments of Antique capitals andcolumns as well as a giant stone basin,still trapped in its net, are strewn acrossthe deck. Ceramic shards and the brokennecks of amphorae are stacked in cases.Despite the haphazard ambience, all havebeen scrupulously documented. The most important pieces are kept far outof sight. Again this year, the team hasbrought numerous treasures up from thedepths: a bust of the god Mars, as well asthat of another bearded divinity-Jupiter orNeptune, a portrait of local magistrate, amagnificent sculpted back that is believedto belong to Venus as well as an exquisitesculpted head of the same goddess, astatue of Hercules seated on the skin ofthe Nemean Lion, a stele depicting amarriage banquet?"These newdiscoveries confirm the potential ofunderwater heritage, the necessity toprotect it and develop our understandingof it through scientific study," proclaimsMichel L'Hour, the Director of DRASSM.A voice crackles across the walkie-talkie.A diver rises to the surface under thebridge of the highway. Luc Long orders for

La Tounga, the team's Zodiac, to pick himup immediately. The Rhone is often hostileto the divers that explore it. ThierryWillaey, the team's Head Diver revealsthat "The barges can pass very close tothem, there is a real security system thathas to be observed at all times. You reallyhave to be zen to dive here. At the bottom,it can be pretty gloomy." Tree branches,shopping carts, and rusted out cars createa disturbing atmosphere. Silures, aspecies of giant catfish, have been knownto take out a bite out of the diver's fins anduniforms. There are mines and shells fromWorld War II, some neutralized and othersthat have not yet exploded. "It's not asmart idea to touch down just anywhere,"he confirms. The water itself is dangerous.The current, which is at times violentlyswift, brings with it all kinds of pollutionand bacteria. "Urinary tract infections, lungand ear infections are part of the everydayexistence of the divers" Luc long admitswith regret. Michel L'Hour concurs: "Thosethat are able to keep going have a trulystrong personality. It is their passion forwhat they do that overcomes their fear."On the right bank of the Rhone, the divingzones are divided into forty square metersthat are then delineated into four sectorsof ten meters each. This giantcheckerboard is then assigned to teams ofdivers and archeologists who patiently sortthrough the layers of rubble and garbagein the riverbed. Once the area has beencleared, an underwater vacuum is used tosuck up the sand to arrive at the levelwhere the Antiquities are found. "As wedescend through the levels of sediment,we go back in time from the 2nd centuryAD to the 5th century BC. "There aretimes that we can barely see through thewater and yet we have to try and takephotos and make drawings to capture asmuch as information as possible while weare down below," continues Luc Long.

The conditions of the Rhone complicatetheir every step and yet, according to thearcheologist, it is "the greatest museum inArles" with "many rooms left to explore." Inopposition to the difficult workingconditions that it presents, the riverhelpfully preserves wood, marble andstone far better than the nearby sea,where parasites and bacteria would breakdown the remains.The field campaign of 2007 should havebeen the last. At the end of 2006, LucLong thought that he would soon finish hisprospecting in the Rhone. He had alreadydiscovered another zone rich with thevestiges of an ancient port full of traces ofdocks, homes and objects from everydaylife such as plates, money and jewelry, notto mention a trove of amphorae. Due tothe renovations of the quay in Arles, theNational Company of the Rhone (CNR)drove the archeologists to dig furtherupstream in the zone between theTrinquetaille Bridge and that of the N113.The discoveries that they would find in thisnew zone would change all of their plans. Luc Long remembers: "I sent severaldivers into the zones five and six. PierreGiustiniani spied a head in marble thatwas turned on its side." The find wasdescribed on the radio and Luc Longordered that measures be taken so that itcould be brought up. "With the GPS, wemarked out its precise location." Then,they turned the head upright. "Under thebeam of the lamp, I was met with anaustere expression that it seemed that Iseen somewhere before. When webrought the bust onboard, I recognized theface that I had seen since my schoolbooksand later in those on the history of art. Iyelled out: It's Julius Caesar!"That year, in the same zone, the teamunearthed a bronze statue of a prisoner, agold-leaf dusted effigy of Victory and amassive marble statue of Neptune who

was found in three scattered pieces andreassembled. The archeologists andhistorians that are specialized in the fieldwere amazed by this dense discovery ofchefs-d'oeuvres that were potent signs ofthe areas prosperity and power during theRoman period. "Up until then, we hadconsidered the right bank little more thana suburb of Arles. What Luc and his teamhave brought up has amazed the scientificcommunity," insists Fabrice Denise, theChief Commissioner of the exhibition"César, le Rhône pour mémoire".Claude Sintès, the Director of the Muséedépartemental de l'Arles antique, assuresthat "Our understanding of what the city ofArles actually was has changeddrastically." The archeological discoverieshave solidified the concept of Arles as a"double city" that was first described bythe 4th century poet Ausone in the storiesof his travels at that time. "Today, the Rhone has offered us a newvision of the city's ancient past, one thatarcheological research on land couldn't,"affirms Luc Long. "Without a doubt, theRight Bank of Arles was also home toelegant buildings, temples, mausoleumsand sculptures." This ostentatious décorwas built as a local reminder of Rome'sgrandeur and as a demonstration of thewealth of the merchants and shipbuildersthat made their fortune on the river.Julius Caesar founded the Roman colonyof Arles in 46 BC as a means of thankingthe warriors that had fought on his behalfduring the civil wars against Marseille,which had made an alliance with Caesar'srival, Pompey. At the mouth of the RhoneArles developed what was to become themost important port in Roman Gaul (seeside paragraph). In the 3rd century AD,

the city's right bank was destroyed byhordes of barbarians. Roman statues andarchitectural elements were thrown intothe river as if it were a giant trash-can andcarried by its swift current. "We are finding a wide range of variouselements that are the pieces in a vastpuzzle," pursues Luc Long. "I am stillmissing the key to help me understand thelink between all of the objects. Were thebronze captive, the effigy of Victory andthe portrait of Caesar all from the samebuilding? Could they have been elementsof an immense monument dedicated tothe glory of Caesar?" To answer thesequestions, Luc Long and his team ofarcheologists now accept that they willhave to keep exploring the Rhone formany years to come.

Text and side paragraph: Alexie ValoisPhotography: Remi Benali and PatrickLandmann

From October 24th 2009 to November30th 2010The exhibition that everyone has beenwaiting forThe Musée Départemental de l'Arlesantique has opened the exhibition "César,le Rhône pour mémoire" which reveals tothe public for the first time 700 pieces thathave been selected out of the thousandsof objects found during twenty years ofarcheological digs at the bottom of theRhone River. It is the river itself that is thecentral axis of the show and links togethera wide variety of subjects that tell the storyof the city's past. A special focus is givento the naval traffic that transported themerchandise of the Roman Empire-oil,wine and fish from Spain, Italy, Greece,Africa and the Orient. After unloadingamphorae at the mouth of the Rhone nearSaintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, the boats wouldcontinue north to Arles, then one of the

key cities in France for commercial trade.Via the Rhone and the Rhine, the Saoneand the Seine, all of the French provinceswere provided for. For the exhibition, Jean-Marie Gassendhas drawn scenes depicting Arles' aquaticlife while Jean-Claude Golvin has createdthose illustrating the city's architecture.The public is also invited into a dark roomthat depicts the sights and sounds of thedivers experience underwater. A filmretraces the steps of the scientific enquiryover the authentication of Caesar'sportrait, the only that is currentlyrecognized as having been carved duringhis lifetime. It is his bust that is the focalpoint of the final room in the exhibition,which features the 60 most spectacularpieces that have been retrieved from thedepths of the Rhone. Before having been exposed, each haspassed under the hands of experthistorians and over twenty art restorerswere assembled to bring them back to life.Frédérique Nicot has been heralded forher work on the gold-leaf effigy of Victoryand the bronze statue of the prisoner fromGaul, which required more than a year ofwork. "It will be very touching to look atthem once they have are under glass forthe exhibition. That they public will get tosee them is quite an accomplishment." It is estimated that this exhibition will drawbetween 250,000 to 300, 000 visitors fromall over the world.Musée Départemental de l'Arles antique,Arles (04.90.18.88.88;www.arles-antique.cg13.fr)

Captions

TreasuresRhone01 : A photograph takenabove and below the waterline of theRhone River with the use of anunderwater housing. A diver from LucLong's team holds the marble head of thegod Mars, found in the river at only a fewmeters from the embankments of Arles.

TreasuresRhone02 - 03 : The marblehead of the God Mars, found in the river atonly a few meters from the embankmentsof Arles is the key piece of thearcheological campaign of 2009.

TreasuresRhone004 - 005 : Head DiverThierry Willaey and the sculpted marblehead that he has found. It is still uncertainwhich god it represents but it is thought tobe Jupiter, Neptune or Esculape, the godof medicine and the doctor that cared forthe Argonauts during their quest for theGolden Fleece.

TreasuresRhone06 - 07 : Theheadquarters for the archeologists,located several meters from the bridge ofhighway N113.

TreasuresRhone08 : Kim and Laurent,divers and archeologists, hoist aboard alarge Gallic amphora that has been foundby François, a diver for the team.

TreasuresRhone09 : Unloading a largeGallic amphora.

TreasuresRhone10 : Kim carrying a pieceof wood from a shipwreck.

TreasuresRhone11 : A marble stele and aminiature inscribed with a scene from amarriage banquet. The rusted base

indicates that there was also a statue ofVenus in the scene.

TreasuresRhone12 - 13 : Fragments ofmarble and amphorae onboard the barge.

TreasuresRhone14 : An archeologiststudies and documents each piece that isfound in the Rhone, such as this ceramicbowl marked with the head of a lion, thesymbol of the city of Arles.

TreasuresRhone15 : Detail of a ceramiccontainer delicately carved in the form of adolphin.

TreasuresRhone16 : A discovery that hasjust been brought onboard by a diver.There are dozens of shipwrecks that linethe embankments of Arles.

TreasuresRhone17 : Michel, the team'sartist, is working on an exquisite marbleeffigy of Venus. A diver as well as anarcheologist, he is renown for havingdiscovered Hermione's shipwreck in thearea near Croisic in Brittany.

TreasuresRhone18 : Drawing of anexquisite marble effigy of Venus.

TreasuresRhone19 : The archeologist LucLong onboard a zodiac with some of hisdivers.

TreasuresRhone20 : The archeologist LucLong giving orders to his team of divers.

TreasuresRhone21 : Xavier, aprofessional diver, has covered his facewith talcum powder in order to slip on hiswaterproof diving suit.

TreasuresRhone22 : A diver from LucLong's team looking at the marble head ofthe god Mars, which has been lying in the

riverbed for 2000 years.

TreasuresRhone23 : The marble head ofthe God Mars, found in river at only a fewmeters from the embankments of Arles isthe key piece of the archeologicalcampaign of 2009.

TreasuresRhone24 - 25 : A heavy marblecolumn is brought up from underwater.

TreasuresRhone26 - 27 : The base of amassive millstone is brought up fromunderwater. Sculpted out of stone or lava,it is the largest such object ever found andwas perhaps used to grind grain for breadto feed the Roman Legion.

TreasuresRhone28 : The archeologist LucLong inspects a heavy marble column thathas been brought up from the riverbed.

TreasuresRhone29 : Sculpted marblehead of a local magistrate.

TreasuresRhone30 : A torso representingHercules sitting on the skin of the NemeanLion. Luc Long hopes to find the rest ofthe statue during his next archeologicalcampaign.

TreasuresRhone31 : The voluptuous backof the goddess Aphrodite.

TreasuresRhone32 : The carved robes ofa local magistrate.

TreasuresRhone33 : Amphorae found inthe Rhone stacked in the conservatory ofthe Musée de l'Arles antique.

TreasuresRhone34 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. A statueof Neptune being put in place for theexhibition "César, le Rhône pourMémoire".

TreasuresRhone35 à 37 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Marblestatue of the god Neptune with aninscription at its base dating it to 210-211AD.

TreasuresRhone38 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Statueof the god Neptune that was discoveredby Luc Long. A cupid riding a dolphin or asea monster is carved onto the backcorner of the statue's base, a telling signthat the statue represents Neptune.

TreasuresRhone39 à 44 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Thebust of Julius Caesar discovered by LucLong in 2007. Today, it is widelyrecognized as the only portrait that wassculpted during his lifetime and is the mosttrue to his likeness that has been found.

TreasuresRhone45 : MuseeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. A maskof Bacchus where his hair is decoratedwith vine leaves. It is believed to haveoriginally been part of a mausoleum for alocal magistrate.

TreasuresRhone46 - 47 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique.Funerary portrait of a wealthy aristocrat.The hairstyle depicted dates this piece tohaving been created during Claudius'reign.

TreasuresRhone48 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique.Numerous oil lamps have been found inthe Rhone. They date from between the1st and 2nd century AD and come fromItaly as well as local artisans. A widenumber of decorative themes arerepresented.

TreasuresRhone049 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. An oillamp decorated with a camel. Numerousoil lamps have been found in the Rhone.They date from between the 1st and 2ndcentury AD and come from Italy as well aslocal artisans. A wide number ofdecorative themes are represented.

TreasuresRhone50 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. An oillamp decorated with an erotic scene.Numerous oil lamps have been found inthe Rhone. They date from between the1st and 2nd century AD and come fromItaly as well as local artisans. A widenumber of decorative themes arerepresented.

TreasuresRhone51 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Thisstatue, featuring a melancholy expression,represents either Venus or Junon,Jupiter's wife.

TreasuresRhone52 à 53 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Alreadyknown as The Prisoner of the Rhone, this70 cm high bronze chef-d'?uvrerepresents a warrior or a slave that hasbeen depicted in the throes of servitudeand has perhaps received hisdeath-sentence. The statue's posturereveals that the artist had a talent fortwisting and shortening the form in orderto emphasize the instability of his captivestate.

TreasuresRhone54 - 55 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Bronzeamphora decorated with sea monstersthat are half-dog, half-fish. They perhaps

represent the Pescicani, a member of theshark family that attacked pearl andsponge divers.

TreasuresRhone56 - 57 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Anengraved bronze sword. Even though theblade is too fragile to be taken out of itssheath, it remains one of the mostbeautiful examples of its genre ever found.It came from a gladius hispaniensis thatwas used by the Roman Army during thereigns of Augustus and Claudius.

TreasuresRhone58 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique.Decoration on the handle of a jugrepresenting Hercules wearing the skin ofthe Nemean Lion. Found in 1992, it wasone of the first pieces discovered by thearcheologist Luc Long.

TreasuresRhone59 - 60 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Artrestorer Frédérique Nicot at work on theeffigy of Victory. This 80 centimeter highgold leaf dusted bronze shows a gloriousVictory wearing a flowing gown. Anallegorical and symbolic character, theVictory also has marks showing that it wasmost likely hung in public. Originally, shemight have been holding a bow andperhaps also had wings.

TreasuresRhone61 - 62 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Theeffigy of Victory. This 80 centimeter highgold leaf dusted bronze shows a gloriousVictory wearing a flowing gown. Anallegorical and symbolic character, theVictory also has marks showing that it wasmost likely hung in public. Originally, shemight have been holding a bow andperhaps also had wings.

TreasuresRhone63 : Musée

Départemental de l'Arles antique. Finaltouches of preparation in the TreasureRoom for the heralded exhibition « César,le Rhône pour Mémoire ».

TreasuresRhone64: MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. TheTreasure Room of the heralded exhibition« César, le Rhône pour Mémoire ».

TreasuresRhone65 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique.Treasure Room of the heralded exhibition« César, le Rhône pour Mémoire ». Astatue of Neptune is displayed in front of agiant photo of the bust of Julius Caesarwhile it was still at the bottom of theRhone River.

TreasuresRhone66 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique.Treasure Room of the heralded exhibition« César, le Rhône pour Mémoire ».

TreasuresRhone67 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Animpressive head of Emperor Augustus thatwas discovered in the delta of the RhoneRiver. The sculpture in its entirety isbelieved to measure between 3.5 and 4meters high.

TreasuresRhone68 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. StoneCorinthian capital nearly one meter high.

TreasuresRhone69 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Thetorso of a lion posing on top of a goat'slegs. This piece is believed to have comefrom a mausoleum.

TreasuresRhone70 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique.Bas-relief of dockworkers wrapping up abundle of wheat.

TreasuresRhone71 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Plaquerepresenting a Dioscure.

TreasuresRhone72 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Stonebase of a statue of either Venus or amuse.

TreasuresRhone73 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. Anhonorary stele for a Roman knight thatwas the patron saint of local ship owners.

TreasuresRhone74 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. The firstvisitors to the exhibition "César, le Rhônepour Mémoire" in front of the bust of JuliusCaesar.

TreasuresRhone75 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. The firstvisitors to the exhibition "César, le Rhônepour Mémoire" in front of the effigy ofVictory.TreasuresRhone76 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique. The firstvisitors to the exhibition "César, le Rhônepour Mémoire" in front of the marblestatue of Neptune.TreasuresRhone77 : The archeologist LucLong standing next to the bust of JuliusCaesar that he discovered in the RhoneRiver. TreasuresRhone78 : Claude Sintès, theHead Curator of the Musée de l'Arlesantique poses in the midst of the TreasureRoom. TreasuresRhone79-80 : MuséeDépartemental de l'Arles antique.Watercolor drawing representing the portof Arles during the Roman period. Veryimportant: if used these drawings must begiven the following credit: J.M Gassend /MdAa