Medieval Woman’s Burial in Switzerland Yields Gold Brooch

News November 29, 2022

(Philippe Saurbeck, Archäologische Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt)
SHARE:
Switzerland Brooch
(Philippe Saurbeck, Archäologische Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt)

BASEL, SWITZERLAND—Swissinfo reports that the remains of a woman who was buried wearing a golden brooch, 160 pearls, an amber pendant, and a belt with an iron buckle and silver-inlaid tongue have been found in a seventh-century A.D. cemetery in northwestern Switzerland. The excavation was prompted by local construction work. “It appears to be a hotspot, a special place where particularly wealthy people were buried,” said Basel canton archaeologist Guido Lassau. Last summer, researchers working at the site uncovered the remains of a man who had suffered a sword injury to the head. To read about an iron folding chair discovered in a seventh-century A.D. woman’s grave in central Germany, go to “Take a Seat.”

  • Features September/October 2022

    1,000 Fathoms Down

    In the Gulf of Mexico, archaeologists believe they have identified a nineteenth-century whaling ship crewed by a diverse group of New Englanders

    Read Article
    (Courtesy the New Bedford Whaling Museum)
  • Artifacts September/October 2022

    Nordic Bronze Age Figurine

    Read Article
    (Courtesy Thomas Terberger)
  • Digs & Discoveries September/October 2022

    The Case of Tut’s Missing Collar

    Read Article
    (Courtesy Marc Gabolde)
  • Digs & Discoveries September/October 2022

    Alpine Crystal Hunters

    Read Article
    (G. Perissinotto/Archäologischer Dienst Graubünden)