A golden brooch was found among other valuable artefacts at the Basel burial site.
Basler Kantonsarchäologe
An excavation of a 7th Century grave site in Switzerland has thrown up “spectacular” finds 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.
More
More
‘Treasure trove’ of lost artefacts found in Swiss monastery
This content was published on
Some 2,000 archeological objects, some dating back to the Stone Age, are found during a spring clean of a monastery in central Switzerland.
Other graves revealed high society occupants adorned with highly crafted ornaments.
The archeological 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 archeologist Guido Lassau.
Excavations will resume in January and plans are being made to display the finds in a public exhibition.
Popular Stories
More
Swiss Politics
Why cars still reign supreme in ‘rail-nation’ Switzerland
Uri voters clear path for hotel and marina complex in central Switzerland
This content was published on
Voters in canton Uri in central Switzerland have rejected a Green Party initiative aimed at regulating the development of the lakeside site in Isleten.
Valais voters reject plan to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040
This content was published on
Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland have turned down a proposal for the region to achieve carbon neutrality by 2040.
Swiss central banker wants to boost equity to head off risks
This content was published on
Equity levels at the Swiss National Bank (SNB) are much too low for the risks its large balance sheet poses, according to Martin Schlegel.
Beer sales in Switzerland watered down by bad weather
This content was published on
The past brewing year fell through in Switzerland, partly due to the bad weather. Beer sales shrank again. For the first time, per capita consumption fell below the 50 liter mark.
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.
Read more
More
‘Treasure trove’ of lost artefacts found in Swiss monastery
This content was published on
Some 2,000 archeological objects, some dating back to the Stone Age, are found during a spring clean of a monastery in central Switzerland.
Swiss archeologists dig up youngest Roman amphitheatre
This content was published on
The remains of another amphitheatre have been found in Switzerland highlighting the importance of the town of Augusta Raurica for the Roman Empire.
This content was published on
Swiss public television SRF reports that the archeological office of Bern lodged the complaint after discovering signs of unauthorised digging at the site of the ancient burial site in northwestern Switzerland. One of the two members of the public who made the initial discovery last October told SRF that he had been quizzed by police…
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.