The Alyscamps necropolis is located southeast of the ancient city of Arles, extending along both sides of the Via Aurelia. It is bordered to the south by marshland, to the west by the city’s fortification walls, and to the north by the hill of Mouleyrès.
The earliest evidence of funerary use dates back to the 1st century BCE, and the necropolis remained in continuous use throughout the Roman period. It acquired particular prominence during Late Antiquity, especially following the burial of Saint Genesius, the Christian martyr venerated in the region. Around 1040 CE, the Priory of Saint-Honorat was established on the site, under the jurisdiction of the Abbey of Saint-Victor in Marseille. It subsequently became an important pilgrimage stop on the route to Santiago de Compostela. Also dating to the medieval period is the Church of Saint-Pierre-de-Mouleyrès. The necropolis remained in active use until the 15th century.
The history of archaeological discovery at the Alyscamps is closely intertwined with the major urban transformations that reshaped Arles during the modern period. These interventions were often carried out without proper archaeological documentation, resulting in the loss or dispersal of contextual information. Consequently, reconstructing the precise provenance and original context of many of the artifacts traditionally attributed to the necropolis remains problematic.
Significant damage was inflicted on the site in 1842 with the construction of the railway line, and further destruction occurred in 1880 when the SNCF railway workshops were established in the very heart of the necropolis.
Over the centuries, funerary materials from the Alyscamps have been subject to repeated displacement, acquisition, and dispersion. Historical accounts attest to a collection of figured marble sarcophagi once housed in the crypt of Saint-Honorat, constructed over the tomb of Saint Genesius. Several of these sarcophagi were traditionally believed to contain the relics of saints and martyrs. Regrettably, a large portion of this assemblage has been lost, having been removed by antiquarians and private collectors, and subsequently dispersed across various collections.
A telling example of such collecting activity is the visit of Catherine de’ Medici and Charles IX to Arles in November 1564. The monarchs selected a group of sarcophagi, but the vessel carrying the cargo in the way to Paris sank in the Rhône near Pont-Saint-Esprit, resulting in the loss of the material.
A small number of funerary tubs have also been recovered in the area of Saint-Pierre-de-Mouleyrès. While these can be stylistically dated to the 4th century CE, they are most likely spolia, given that this sector of the necropolis experienced its principal phase of use beginning in the 6th century.

Essential bibliography:

• Benoit, F 1938, “L’église Saint-Honorat-des-Aliscamps à Arles. étude historique et archéologique”. In Bulletin monumental, vol. 97, no. 4, pp. 353-396.
• Benoit, F 1954, Sarcophages paléochrétiens d'Arles et de Marseille. Centre national de la Recherche scientifique, Paris.
• Benoit, F 1957, “La basilique Saint-Pierre et Saint-Paul à Arles”, Provence historique, vol. 7, pp. 8-21.
• Codou, Y & Heijmans M 2022, “Les Alyscamps d’Arles : des reliques au musée, du lieu sacralisé au lieu patrimonial”, Mélanges en l'honneur d'Élisabeth Sauze, Provence Historique vol. 72, no. 272, pp. 501-524.