AMAY Belgium.
A Gallo-Roman vicus of the civitas Tungrorum, situated where the road from Tongres to Arlon crosses the Meuse by a ford that was still used in the Middle Ages. In 1842 some thick planks were found which were interpreted as the remains of a wooden bridge, but the matter is still uncertain. The built-up area covered 3 ha, mostly on the left bank of the Meuse. However, foundations have been noted on the other side of the river. The road probably dates to the time of Claudius.The vicus grew from then on, perhaps around a mutatio along the road. An industrial district was located on the outskirts of the settlement. Several potters' kilns were in use from ca. A.D. 50 to 150. There were also iron smithies. Inside the vicus itself, rectangular houses were built on both sides of the road, with the narrow side facing the street. Several cellars have been excavated, as well as some round wells built of sandstone ashlar without mortar. Several tombs dating from the 1st to the 4th c. have been found. Study of the coins and the terra sigillata indicates that the occupation was unbroken from the middle of the 1st c. A.D. until well into the 4th c. Although the vicus was laid waste ca. 270 during the barbarian invasion, it was soon rebuilt.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
M. Vanderhoeven, “La terra sigillata trouvée dans le vicus romain d'Amay,” Chronique arch. du Pays de Liège 51-52 (1960-61) 41-64; A. M. Defize-Lejeune, Répertoire bibliographique des trouvailles archéologiques de la province de Liège (1964) 2-3; J. Willems, “Le Vicus belgo-romain d'Amay,” Bull. du Cercle arch. Hesbaye-Condroz 8 (1968) 5-18.S. J. DE LAET