Archaeologists Unearth Larger-Than-Expected Roman Settlement in Switzerland

Swiss archaeologists excavating a site in Gebenstorf discovered a sprawling Roman encampment in Canton of Aargau, Archaeology News reported, which is much larger than previously anticipated. The site itself is being eyed for residential development, leaving excavators scrambling to preserve its history.

The dig, which kicked off earlier this month, was expected to turn up a relatively paltry amount of Roman artifacts. Archaeologists had thought it would be a quick and simple task to excavate all of the artifacts before redevelopment commenced, but now that’s looking increasingly unlikely.

Early excavations indicated that larger structures were present, as archaeologists found wall foundations and Roman building debris among other artifacts of the era. There had been small discoveries of Roman items dating back as far as the 17th century, but it wasn’t until two investigations in 2017 and 2023 that the presence of a structure was confirmed.

However, the site was much bigger than any preliminary reports indicated. It spans roughly 34,400 square feet, encompassing the entirety of the planned construction site and much of the surrounding area.

Within the community is an ancient Roman cemetery which houses fallen soldiers from the nearby Vindonissa camp, where military officials lived. Located less than two miles from the military camp, it’s thought that this newly found settlement housed the families of military members. This was a fairly typical set-up of that era, where civilians would be housed slightly outside the proper military complex.

The construction of an apartment building–complete with an underground parking garage–on the site has been halted, as officials are now requesting ample time to exhume and review the rest of the artifacts in the area.

Officials are planning two phases for the excavation, one which will last from April to November of this year, and another from March until May of 2025. After that, it will be determined if construction can move forward.

Hopefully, as the dig just kicked off, we’ll have several more months of exciting archaeological discoveries.