Orange’s Antique Theatre: Ongoing Research on Medieval and Modern Woods

Abstract In the south of France, the Orange Theatre (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is the only ancient theatre in the Roman West to retain such a well-preserved stage building. Since 2017, it has been the subject of a restoration campaign accompanied by archaeological studies, and the presence of scaffolding has made it possible to reach previously inaccessible parts of the building. On-site, a protocol has been gradually established to enable various trades to work alongside archaeological studies. Although stone was the main building material, 511 wooden elements were identified in or between the stone blocks. After documented in situ , they were removed, either wholly or in part. Their dimensions, shapes, and species vary widely, suggesting diverse functions (structural, furnishing, etc.). Species analysis showed a predominance of wood from riparian and alluvial plains, montane and subalpine levels, and the meso-Mediterranean environment. Dendrochronological analyses have not yielded any dates, but radiocarbon dating has indicated phases of the monument’s development in the 13th, 15th, and 16th centuries, when medieval and modern buildings were erected within its walls, periods that are poorly documented in texts. The building’s ongoing use and adaptation since its construction has certainly contributed to its preservation to the present day. In future, this study will benefit from the contributions of the Historic Building Information Modelling process, applied to ancient buildings through an innovative and exploratory approach.