An archaeologist in Aegerten, northwest Switzerland, recently discovered a 2,000-year-old amphora, a ceramic vessel that was used to transport olive oil in Roman times.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch/jc
Português
pt
Ânfora de azeite antiga encontrada em leito de rio suíço
The amphora was found this spring in the bed of the old Zihl river. It was largely intact when it came to light, and has now been restored, the Bernese Department of Education and Culture said on FridayExternal link. The vessel is 73 centimetres high and 50 centimetres wide. It probably held at least 65 litres when full and is assumed to date from the first century AD.
Olive oil from the Roman province of Baetica – the region around the valley of the Guadalquivir in Andalusia, southern Spain – reached its destination in amphorae of this type, according to the statement. Distribution of these vessels extended from the western Mediterranean to Britain.
“The vessel is thus an indication of the adoption of Roman culture by the Celtic population on the Swiss plateau, who even then valued imported olive oil,” writes the Bernese Department of Education and Culture.
The Department says this amphora could have fallen directly from an ancient transport ship into the riverbed of the Zihl at that time or been disposed of. It is known from inscriptions that in Roman times goods were transported on the waterways of the Rhine, Aare and Zihl, as well as the lakes of the Jura. They operated various port facilities near the site in Aegerten and in Studen.
Popular Stories
More
Banking & Fintech
Luxury heir claims his CHF11 billion Hermès fortune has vanished
Swiss government upbeat about ‘multimodal’ transport hubs
This content was published on
Authorities are positive about a programme to boost hubs linking different transport methods, as well as urban and rural areas.
Sudan to open border with Chad to allow in humanitarian aid
This content was published on
As peace talks continue in Geneva, Sudan has said it will open the Adre crossing on its border with Chad to allow in humanitarian aid for a period of three months.
This content was published on
On Thursday, Novartis reiterated its claim that the new US drug pricing scheme was “unconstitutional” and would lower access to medicines.
This content was published on
Meet Adelasius Ebalchus. He lived in what is now northern Switzerland some 1,300 years ago, centuries after the collapse of the Roman Empire.
Switzerland’s hidden treasure trove of Roman mosaics
This content was published on
The small town of Orbe is home to the largest and most beautiful collection of Roman mosaics north of the Alps. Where are the visitors?
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.