Montans
On the left bank of the Tarn, Montans was in the 1st c. A.D. one of the largest and oldest centers for the production of Gallo-Roman terra sigillata. The original excavations in 1860 have been supplemented by many surface finds and by more systematic investigations, between 1967 and 1973, which have added some new names to the list of Montans potters and have identified the workshop of L. Eppius. Around the beginning of the 2d c. A.D., in order to mitigate the decline of sigillate ware, the potters made for a short time lamps molded on Italian models.
BIBLIOGRAPHYMine Durand-Lefebre, “Etude sur les vases de Montans du Musée Saint-Raymond de Toulouse,” Gallia 4 (1946) 137-94; id., “Etude sur la décoration des vases de Montans,” ibid. 12 (1954) 73-88; M. Labrousse, “Lampes romaines de Montans aux musées de Toulouse et d'Albi,” Mém. de la Soc. arch. du Midi de la France 28 (1962) 9-39 & pls. I-III; id. in Gallia 20 (1962) 603; 22 (1964) 469; 26 (1968) 554-55 & figs. 38-39; 28 (1970) 435 & fig. 40; F. Meunier, “Estampilles de potiers gallo-romains provenant de Montans,” Fédération tarnaise de spéléo-archéologie. Travaux et recherches, no. 4 (1965-66) 58-74.
M. LABROUSSE