A rescue excavation in Kaiseraugst, northern Switzerland, has uncovered a large Roman highway lined with porticoes, toddler burials, and small artifacts from the interval embody a uncommon bronze panther statuette.
The positioning is situated in what in Roman occasions was the decrease city of Augusta Raurica. Due to its proximity to a identified historical burial floor, between Might 2024 and March 2025 the Aargau Cantonal Archaeology Division excavated two undeveloped plots slated for development of recent condo buildings. Earlier geophysical surveys of the plots mapped out an excavation plan permitting the workforce to dig extra exactly.
The workforce unearthed a Roman highway 13 ft large with columned porticoes and buildings on all sides. They had been capable of excavate the cellars of two of the buildings flanking the highway. The floorplan and structure of the buildings point out they had been all strip homes, very slim homes going through the roadway that allowed folks simpler entry to the highway. The constructing kind was the predominant design within the northwestern provinces of the Roman Empire.
Within the again courtyards of the strip homes, archaeologists discovered stone shafts, in all probability latrines or storage shafts, and a lot of toddler burials. This was frequent within the Roman world, as youngster mortality was excessive and useless infants had been typically buried at house as an alternative of in a cemetery.
Growth of this quarter started on the finish of the first century AD and ended in the course of the third century AD. The realm’s use in late antiquity is documented primarily by quite a few late Roman cash and particular person finds. Among the many quite a few finds had been a number of particular objects: a small bronze panther statuette, a tuff votive holder, and a mosaic glass spindle whorl. Such finds are uncommon.
The excavation at “Schürmatt” was accomplished on schedule. Your entire documentation was carried out completely digitally – it was the primary absolutely digitally documented excavation by the Aargau Cantonal Archaeology Division. All findings had been digitally recorded within the subject, and all knowledge had been entered immediately into the database. This modern technique enabled extraordinarily exact and environment friendly documentation, setting new requirements for future initiatives, even throughout cantons.
