AQUITANIAN VILLAS

C. Balmelle's "Les demeures aristocratiques d'Aquitaine" is a beautifully illustrated book on the spectacular archaeological remains of late antique aristocratic housing, primarily rural housing, discovered in south-west Gaul. Her work belongs to a tradition of art and archaeological history, and her book contains long and detailed typological discussions of plans and decorative schemes. Research of this kind is essential groundwork towards a fuller undestanding of these buildings, but it is disappointing that it has not yet proved possible to push the material evidence further. (Quotes from original text)