DEBRAY Henri Étude géologique & archéologique de quelques tourbières du littoral flamand et du département de la Somme.

First edition of the offprint, taken from the Mémoires de la Société des Sciences, de l’Agriculture et des Arts de Lille, 1873. A fine copy, with an autograph insciption on the half-title page and on the cover: “a Monsieur Bertin souvenir affectueux, H. Debray”.

The recipient of the dedication is probably Jules Bertin (1826–1892), a sub-inspector of Water and Forests, who was also a scholar and a corresponding member of learned societies in the Nord region. He took a particular interest in the history and heritage of Flanders and, together with Georges Vallée, published an Étude sur les forestiers de Flandre et l’établissement du comté héréditaire de Flandre (1876).

Debray presents here a significant study on the discovery of salt pans in northern France and Belgium, on the territory of the Civitas Menapiorum and the Civitas Morinorum.

“In the 19th century, many ‘Antiquaries’ took an interest in the Noires-Terres site, but paid no attention to Ardésian bricks. The exception, not surprisingly coming from a scientist, was Henri Debray. This renowned engineer with a passion for archaeology analysed what he called T-shaped bricks, in documents that have remained unpublished, alongside his Études de quelques tourbières du littoral flamand et de la Somme” (Michel Cabal & Hugo Thoen, in: Revue du Nord, 1985, pp. 193 ff, L’Industrie du sel à Ardes à l’époque romaine”).

The plates show plans, sections and archaeological objects found during excavations.

A very good presentation copy.