2,000-year-old Roman bridge discovered in Switzerland

Archaeological teams in Switzerland have uncovered the remains of a remarkable Roman wooden bridge that served as a crucial transportation link for over four centuries.

The discovery in Aegerten, near Biel, reveals sophisticated engineering techniques that highlight the Romans’ mastery of infrastructure development across their vast empire.

More than 300 well-preserved oak piles emerged during construction work, providing archaeologists with a treasure trove of information about Roman engineering capabilities.

The wooden posts, protected by groundwater conditions, offer unprecedented insights into bridge construction techniques used throughout the Roman Empire.

Dendrochronology Reveals Bridge Timeline

Advanced tree-ring analysis conducted at the Archaeological Service’s dendrology laboratory provided precise dating for the bridge construction phases.

The earliest components date to approximately 40 BC, shortly after the Roman conquest of the Celtic Helvetii tribe, according to the Bern Canton Archaeological Service.

The youngest elements were constructed in 369 AD during Emperor Valentinian’s reign, when Roman military forces strengthened defenses behind the Rhine frontier.

This extended timeline demonstrates the bridge’s strategic importance and the Romans’ commitment to maintaining critical infrastructure. Bridge piers underwent multiple repairs and reconstructions throughout the centuries, reflecting standard Roman maintenance practices that ensured long-term structural integrity.

Strategic Location Along Ancient Trade Routes

The bridge stood at the entrance to Petinesca (modern Studen), a significant crossroads connecting major waterways and land routes across the Swiss Plateau.

This location provided access to the three Jura lakes and connected the region’s largest settlements through the Aare and Zihl rivers. A major road linking the Helvetic capital of Avenches/Aventicum with eastern territories passed through this area.

The newly discovered bridge formed part of the crucial Jura transversal route, branching off toward Augst/Augusta Raurica through the Taubenloch gorge near Biel.

This transportation network exemplified Roman strategic planning, connecting military installations with civilian settlements and facilitating trade across challenging terrain.

Exceptional Artifact Preservation

The waterlogged conditions beneath the former Zihl River created an exceptional preservation environment for organic materials. Archaeological teams recovered numerous metal objects from the river sediment, including shoe nails, horseshoes, yokes, axes, fishing tridents, keys, and coins that had fallen or been deliberately thrown from the bridge.

The most remarkable discovery was a complete wooden plane with an iron blade, measuring 41 centimeters long, 7 centimeters wide, and 5 centimeters high. Such tools rarely survive in archaeological contexts due to wood decay, making this find particularly significant for understanding Roman craftsmanship and daily life activities.

Roman bridge construction typically employed sophisticated foundation systems using wooden pilings driven deep into riverbed sediments. The oak posts discovered at Aegerten demonstrate the Romans’ preference for durable hardwood species that could withstand decades of water exposure and structural stress.

This construction method spread throughout the empire, with similar techniques documented from Britain to the Middle East.

The Swiss discovery adds valuable data to our understanding of Roman provincial infrastructure development. Unlike the monumental stone bridges that dominated urban centers, wooden structures served rural areas and provided flexible solutions for challenging geographical conditions.

These bridges required regular maintenance but offered cost-effective transportation links that supported economic growth and military logistics across frontier regions.

Archaeologists discover complete armored 14th-century gauntlet in Switzerland

Excavations in Kyburg in the canton of Zürich, northeastern Switzerland have discovered a 14th-century fully preserved gauntlet of armor in exceptional condition.

Only five 14th-century gauntlets have been discovered in Switzerland thus far, according to the Zurich cantonal infrastructure department on Tuesday.

However, their state of preservation is nowhere near that of the glove discovered in Kyburg. All the iron parts of this one have been found, and some of the fingers are even completely free of corrosion and look as good as new.

The metal parts of the glove were originally riveted to a leather glove. The 25 pieces were also firmly attached to each other, giving the glove great flexibility.

The entire gauntlet measures more than 14 inches long. Individual iron plates overlap like scales and are connected by side rivets. Originally, they would have been riveted to a leather or fabric material before being sewn onto a leather or textile glove. The small plates and flexible underlayers allowed the wearer to comfortably grip a sword and make a fist.

The castle is first mentioned in 1027 under the name of Chuigeburg (“cows-fort”), which name points to an original use as a refuge castle for livestock.

The first fortification at this site was likely built in the second half of the 10th century by the counts of Winterthur.

The early castle was destroyed in 1028 or 1030 by Emperor Conrad II. It was rebuilt and soon became the center of the county of Kyburg which was formed in 1053 as a possession of the counts of Dillingen.

Cantonal archaeologists excavated a site southeast of the castle in the winter of 2021/22 in a rescue operation before constructing a home with a basement.

Archaeologists discovered a medieval weaving cellar that had burned down in the 14th century. Forging may also have taken place in its immediate vicinity; in addition to a casting mold, the archaeologists also discovered over 50 well-preserved metal objects such as hammers, keys, and projectile points – as well as the glove.

Archaeologists also found a completely preserved 14th-century gauntlet, in addition to fragments of its counterpart worn on the other hand.

It is not yet known who the glove belonged to, or why this type of object is so rarely found. Scientific work must now establish whether armour gloves were so rare at the time or whether they were melted down.

A copy of this armour glove will be on display at Kyburg Castle from the end of March as part of its permanent exhibition, complemented by a reconstruction of the rest of the armour. The original will be on display for three weeks in September.

Iron Age Celtic Woman Wearing Fancy Clothes Buried in This ‘Tree Coffin’ in Switzerland

THE ANCIENT corpse of a woman buried in a hollowed-out tree has been found in Switzerland. It’s believed the woman, who died 2,200 years ago, commanded great respect in her tribe, as she was buried in fine clothes and jewellery.

Scientists say the woman was Celtic. The Iron Age Celts are known to have buried members of their tribe in “tree coffins” buried deep underground.

The woman’s remains were found in the city of Zurich in 2017, according to Live Science.

An analysis carried out by the city’s archaeology department shows she was around 40 years old when she died in 200 BC.

Her bones suggest she did little manual labour during her lifetime, suggesting she was someone of importance.

“A specialist determined the order of the layers of clothing on the basis of the textile, fur and leather scraps preserved in the grave,” a statement said.

“So the woman wore probably a dress made of fine sheep’s wool, about another woolen cloth and a coat of sheepskin.”

Her jewellery consisted of bronze bracelets, a delicate bronze belt and a stunning necklace strung with amber and glass beads.

And of particular interest to scientists was the clasp on the woman’s necklace.

Both ends of the bling had a clip known as a brooch that allowed the woman to string blue and yellow beads onto it.

It’s been proposed the woman may have known a Celtic man who was buried about 260 feet from her grave.

He was found buried with a sword, shield and lance. The pair were buried in the same decade.

The Celts are most commonly associated with Britain, but actually stretched as far as modern day Turkey.

They were renowned for being fierce fighters – the conquering Romans built Hadrian’s Wall to protect themselves from the Celts who had fled north.

Extraordinary Bronze Age Jewelry Hoard Discovered In A Carrot Field In Switzerland

A magnificent Bronze Age treasure has been discovered in Switzerland. The adventure started when Franz Zahn examined a freshly harvested carrot field in Güttingen with his metal detector.

When he found several Middle Bronze Age decorative discs, he immediately contacted the Office of Archaeology, which arranged the excavation and documentation of the artifacts.

Ancient Treasures Hidden In A Carrot Field

Franz Zahn has been working with his metal detectors for many years. During this time, he has unearthed several beautiful objects from the Iron and Bronze Ages, but this find is without something exceptional. He immediately recognized that these belonged to an accumulation of other finds. Could the artifact be grave goods?

With the farmer’s permission, archaeologists and volunteers excavated the area. Still, they could not find graves, and scientists suspect the jewelry must have been buried on-site in an organic container or sack.

A similar find had been discovered near Etzwilen two years ago, and researchers were hopeful there could be a connection between these two.

A  piece of the soil and the unearthed objects were transported to a laboratory in Frauenfeld for close examination.

Other discs revealed a variety of small bronze spirals, jewelry items such as finger rings, and dozens of tiny amber beads. These beads, the size of pinheads, had to be removed individually with tweezers. Some wire spirals shone gold. An analysis brought certainty: it is actually gold.

Finds such as a bronze arrowhead, a beaver tooth, a perforated bear tooth, a rock crystal, a fossilized shark tooth, a small ammonite, and several lumps of polish ore were surprising.

The scientists informed in a press release that the natural occurrence of these iron ore globules and ammonite is probably in the Schaffhausen area.

A Rich Woman With A Passion For Collecting

A total of 14 spiked discs were recovered. These are bronze discs with three ribs and a round thorn – or spike – in the middle. On one side, there was a narrow grommet through which a thread or leather strap could be pulled through. These are typical “costume jewelry” from the Bronze Age, more precisely, the Middle Bronze Age around 1500 B.C.

As finds from graves show, women wore necklaces with these eye-catching discs, with spirals strung between them as spacers. Eleven of these spirals were found in Güttingen.

In addition, eight slightly larger spirals made of fine gold wire appeared, weighing over 21 grams. More than 100 amber beads and two finger rings with double spirals complete the ensemble.

Was there a jewelry box hidden here? Were the bear tooth, the rock crystal, and the selected fossils and stones a collection of curiosities or souvenirs from a visit to Klettgau? Or is there even more to it? Objects of this type may have been considered to have a unique, protective, or healing effect and may have been worn as a kind of amulet.

The depot came into the ground at a time when important advanced cultures were flourishing in the Mediterranean region in Egypt and Crete.

Future Museum Pieces

The Bronze Age objects are being restored so they can be exhibited in the Museum of Archeology in Frauenfeld next year. In addition, scientific analyses and careful documentation are planned.

Remarkably Well-Preserved 2,500-Year-Old Canoe Discovered In Swiss Lake

Archaeologists have discovered a remarkably well-preserved dugout canoe from the Early Iron Age in Lake Neuchâtel in western Switzerland.

According to the Vaud canton’s archaeology department, the 13-meter-long canoe was resting at a depth of 3.5 meters on a sandbank on the north shore of the lake.

Experts assisted the cantonal archaeologists in underwater salvage techniques. This delicate operation required many months of preparation.

“This is an archaeological discovery of considerable importance for our understanding of the prehistory of the region.

Its radiocarbon analysis dates it to between 750 and 520 B.C., a time when there were no villages on the shores of the lakes.

It is one of the very few boats from this period in Switzerland that has been preserved almost in its entirety,” said cantonal archaeologist Nicole Pousaz at the press conference.

The canoe has now been transported to a lab for special analysis. Archaeologists examine it to see what clues it holds to life during this time.

Photogrammetry and laser measurements will also be used to create a 3D model of what the canoe would have looked like, fully intact.

“She’s a very sickly old lady. Part of the sides of the canoe were torn out by storms, and the portion buried in the sediment was very cracked. It’s a very fragile object,” Jean-Daniel Renaud, who runs a company specializing in the technical aspects of underwater and terrestrial archaeology, told the press agency Keystone-SDA.

“It was made at the time from an oak trunk about 13 meters long and about a meter in diameter.

This type of canoe, which was particularly large, was mainly used for transporting goods and people or for fishing,” added Renaud.

According to the specialist, it is one of the largest and most complete canoes of its kind to have been discovered in Switzerland.

Iron Age Celtic Woman Wearing Fancy Clothes Buried in This ‘Tree Coffin’ in Switzerland

THE ANCIENT corpse of a woman buried in a hollowed-out tree has been found in Switzerland.

It’s believed the woman, who died 2,200 years ago, commanded great respect in her tribe, as she was buried in fine clothes and jewellery.

Scientists say the woman was Celtic. The Iron Age Celts are known to have buried members of their tribe in “tree coffins” buried deep underground.

The woman’s remains were found in the city of Zurich in 2017, according to Live Science.

An analysis carried out by the city’s archaeology department shows she was around 40 years old when she died in 200 BC.

Her bones suggest she did little manual labour during her lifetime, suggesting she was someone of importance.

“A specialist determined the order of the layers of clothing on the basis of the textile, fur and leather scraps preserved in the grave,” a statement said.

“So the woman wore probably a dress made of fine sheep’s wool, about another woolen cloth and a coat of sheepskin.”

Her jewellery consisted of bronze bracelets, a delicate bronze belt and a stunning necklace strung with amber and glass beads.

And of particular interest to scientists was the clasp on the woman’s necklace.

Both ends of the bling had a clip known as a brooch that allowed the woman to string blue and yellow beads onto it.

It’s been proposed the woman may have known a Celtic man who was buried about 260 feet from her grave.

He was found buried with a sword, shield and lance. The pair were buried in the same decade.

The Celts are most commonly associated with Britain, but actually stretched as far as modern day Turkey.

They were renowned for being fierce fighters – the conquering Romans built Hadrian’s Wall to protect themselves from the Celts who had fled north.

Hiker found a place of holy worship at an altitude of 2,590 meters in the Swiss Alps

A trekking enthusiast stumbled upon an ancient Roman coin buried in rubble in a remote area high in the Alps in the Swiss Canton of Bern.

After reporting the finding to the local archeological unit, a whole hoard of ancient artifacts was found buried at the site, which archeologists now believe may have been a place of holy worship—a site to lay offerings to the Roman mountain gods.

Since the hiker’s fortunate discovery, archaeologists have conducted two dig seasons and discovered one hundred additional Roman coins dating from the first to the fifth century A.D.

The oldest is a Tiberian coin from 22 to 30 AD, and the most recent is an Arcadian coin from the eastern empire (r. 395-408 A.D.). A fibula from the first century B.C., 59 Roman shoe hobnails, and a piece of a bronze votive plate in the shape of a leaf were also discovered by the team.

“We do find single Roman coins occasionally in the Alps, but this site is unusual because of the amount of coins and the location,” Regula Gubler, the study’s scientific project manager, told Newsweek.

“More common would be finds—coins, brooches—on mountain passes. This site however, is far from human habitation, today and in Roman times, at 2,590 meters above sea level [nearly 8,500 feet], and definitely not a pass.”

Gubler said that the site sits on a plateau between the mountain peaks of Ammertenhorn and Wildstrubel, which she described as “pretty impressive.”

The unusual location of the site, as well as the concentrated collection of treasures that had amassed there, led the researchers to believe that this was a place of great religious significance.

“We are only at the beginning of the investigations, but we think it is a holy place, where people went to deposit votive offerings—mainly coins, but also other objects—asking the deities for things or thanking them,” Gubler said. “I guess a kind of pilgrimage.”

The town of Thun, which has several Roman temples, is only a little more than 12 miles away from the site. One of them contains an inscription that mentions female alpine deities, according to archaeologists.

The prevalence of local rock crystals may have been part of the reason the location was seen as sacred.

The researchers will continue to investigate the site in order to learn more about its possible historical significance.

Medieval Woman’s Burial in Switzerland Yields Gold Brooch

An excavation of a 7th Century grave site in Switzerland has thrown up a “spectacular” kind of jewellery and afforded valuable insight into medieval society.

The 15 graves belonged to wealthy people of that time who were buried in their finery. The most significant find was a golden robe brooch belonging to a woman aged about 20 at her death.

The woman was also buried with a treasure trove of other jewellery, including 160 pearls, an amber pendant and a belt with an iron buckle and a silver-inlaid tongue.

Other graves revealed high society occupants adorned with highly crafted ornaments.

The archaeological site in Basel, northwest Switzerland, has been excavated over a number of years. In the summer, the body of a warrior was uncovered with a significant head injury caused by a sword blow.

The latest graves were discovered when workers were laying new heating pipes in the city.

“It appears to be a hotspot, a special place where particularly wealthy people were buried,” said Basel cantonal archaeologist Guido Lassau.

Excavations will resume in January and plans are being made to display the finds in a public exhibition.