L’étoffe d’un Gaulois – Costume and finery in Gaul | Musée de Gergovie

But what can we say today about their clothing habits in the light of archaeological discoveries ?
L’étoffe d’un Gaulois” bridges the gap between scientific data and experimental archaeology, offering an entertaining and scientifically documented immersion into the heart of Gaulish fashion.

Nineteenth-century painters and sculptors were the first to(…)

But what can we say today about their clothing habits in the light of archaeological discoveries ?
L’étoffe d’un Gaulois” bridges the gap between scientific data and experimental archaeology, offering an entertaining and scientifically documented immersion into the heart of Gaulish fashion.

Nineteenth-century painters and sculptors were the first to offer an immediately identifiable representation of the Gauls. However, they only had access to very rare historical and archaeological sources to attempt to reconstruct the various items of clothing, as textile fibers rarely survive the passage of time. So it was in the minds of artists specializing in depictions of historical scenes that an image of the Gaul in costume gradually took shape, which, while familiar to us, is more often than not totally fanciful.
Today, techniques of archaeological analysis and conservation of organic remains, combined with experimental archaeology, have enabled us to gain a better understanding of Gaulish dress. The exhibition “The Fabric of a Gaul” deciphers all the stages involved in the manufacture of an authentic Gaulish costume, from obtaining the fibers to the fitting and composition of the garments, not forgetting the processes involved in creating the objects of adornment.
We invite you to discover the major trends in Celtic fashion over the last five centuries before the change of era, as you stroll along an original itinerary in the form of a veritable fashion boutique. All you have to do is push open the doors of the “En braies et en brogues” shop !

Immerse yourself in the merciless world of Gallic fashion from April 4, 2026 to March 7, 2027.

_____

Exhibition designed with the scientific contribution of the MOIRES Association (Organic Textile Materials : Identification, Research, Study). This exhibition would also not have been possible without the generous loans granted by the DRAC AURA regional archaeology service, the Puy-de-Dôme departmental council’s archaeological sites department, and the Bargoin museum of Clermont Auvergne Métropole, the Bibracte archaeological center and museum, the Musée de Picardie d’Amiens métropole, the Musée départemental Anne-de-Beaujeu de Moulins, the Musée d’Archéologie et du Patrimoine Marius Vazeilles de Meymac and the Musée Historique et Archéologique de la Ville d’Orléans. The “Etoffe d’un Gaulois” exhibition is also part of Inrap’s Saison Gauloise calendar.