Switzerland Witnessing an Unprecedented Archaeological Discovery

The foothills of the Swiss Alps have revealed a remarkable archaeological find—a 2,000-year-old Roman building complex with well-preserved walls. This discovery is considered a significant archaeological sensation for the canton (state) of Zug and will provide valuable insights into the Romans in pre-Alpine Central Switzerland, as stated by the Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archeology. It has been nearly a century since Roman buildings have been excavated in this area, according to Live Science. The walls, visible to the naked eye with exposed top bricks, were found during the excavation of a grave pit in the city of Äbnetwald. However, the walls were not the only findings.

Additionally, archaeologists discovered fragments of a plaster wall, iron nails, bronze and copper coins, a silver denarius minted by Julius Caesar around the 1st century BCE, gold fragments possibly from jewelry, millstones, crockery, bowls, and ceramic jugs called amphorae. The presence of amphorae, which were typically used to store wine, olive oil, and fish sauce, suggests that Romans in the region engaged in trade with Mediterranean civilizations. The site also revealed elaborate glassware and imported Roman tableware known as terra sigillata (“sealed earth”), indicating that the affluent inhabited the area, according to Popular Science. This site offers prime real estate with its elevated position and a stunning view of the surrounding landscape, including the Alps in the distance.

The purpose of the site is still unclear, but further excavations will seek to answer that question. It is speculated that it may have been a villa that overlooked a temple building, as suggested by Christa Ebnöther, an expert in Roman archaeology at the University of Bern. The preservation of the remains is described as astounding, as only a few similar structural relics from the Roman period are known in the pre-Alpine region. The walls encompassed an area of 5,300 square feet with multiple rooms, and the presence of numerous iron nails indicates the existence of a wooden structure on the underlying wall foundation. The public will have the opportunity to visit the site during an excavation day to be held on Saturday. (Read more discoveries stories.)