In the light of anthropobiological, archeometric and written data: bishop of maastricht (late sixth - beginning seventh century)?

While he is mentioned as bishop of Maastricht between the late 6(th) century and the beginning of the 7(th) century by the medieval Liege chronicles, starting with the Gesta episcoporum written by Hedger de Lobbes (ca 980), Perpete, whose relics are preserved today in the collegiate church of Ste-Marie-et-St-Perpete in Dinant (prov. Namur), was excluded from the critical list of the bishops of TongresMaastricht-Liege. However, a rereading of the written sources.mentioning him and the recent contribution of archaeometry and paleoanthropology invite us to rehabilitate Perpete as bishop, as a historical figure, and no longer only as an object of veneration. His burial in Dinant, a small agglomeration in the Mosan basin, is in keeping with the practice of the bishops of Tongeren-Maastricht who focused their efforts at Christianisation in the most dynamic communities of their diocese during the Merovingian era. This burial, in the St -Vincent church as reported by Gilles d'Orval's Gesta episcoporum around 1250, and the spread of the cult of this saint from Saragossa in the north of Gaul plead in favour of the existence of this church at the latest in ca 600. The transfer of the relics of St. Perpete to the church of Ste -Marie in Dinant took place at the latest in 1096, when it had the double dedication of Ste-Marie-etSt-Perpete. It's probably part of the programme of assertion of power of the bishops of Liege in Dinant between the late 10th century and the late 11th century.