While excavating a famous Roman battlefield site in the Swiss Alps, archaeologists accidentally stumbled upon a hoard of 80 artifacts dating back to the Late Bronze Age. Some of the standout items include sickles, axes, part of a saw, and fragments of jewelry, among many pieces of raw copper.
Experts believe that these artifacts may have been intentionally buried as offerings, as the pieces were deliberately damaged and bent before being wrapped in leather and placed in a wooden box. They date from around 1200-1000 BC, a time when the selective destruction and discarding of metal valuables was a widespread cultural practice.
The excavation, which took place in October 2022, was part of a larger research project by the Graubünden Regional Archaeological Service at the site of a known conflict between the Romans and local Suanetribes around 15 B.C. This ongoing project is being carried out at Salouf Vostga in the Swiss Oberhalbstein valley, which is about 160 kilometers southeast of Zurich.
The Bronze Age artifacts were found in a field south of the prehistoric settlement of Motta Wallach, right next to one of the main transalpine transportation routes. This area was not originally part of the planned excavation site, but came to the team’s attention through a tip-off from a volunteer metal detectorist who was participating in a large-scale survey of the local landscape.
In 2008, a military camp was discovered in the area, which was a rich source of ancient weapons and other military equipment, including more than 100 sling balls and a beautifully decorated dagger. This latest research project on the Roman campaign in the Alps, called “CVMBAT,” was launched in 2020 and is ongoing. An exhibition and publication presenting the archaeologists’ findings is expected in 2026.