Archaeologists in Switzerland have discovered a large Roman settlement in Gebenstorf in the Canton of Aargau. The area is slated for a major modern redevelopment and the race is on to preserve this piece of history before it is lost forever.
The excavation only began earlier this month and expected to find a small amount of Roman archaeology underneath the redevelopment site. The intention had been to conduct a relatively quick survey and dig at the 3,200 square meter (34,450 square foot) site, and recover all useful archaeology before the development could commence.
The Roman remains at the Swiss site are both much larger and more extensive than had been previously believed (Archaeology News / Cantonal archeology, © Canton Aargau)
Archaeologists had known about a Roman presence in the area for a long time, as the site, known as “Steinacher” is only 2.2 km (1.4 miles) from the well known Vindonissa Roman legionary camp. However as the work progressed it became clear that there was something much larger and more important beneath the surface than anyone expected, reports Archaeology News.
Historical Clues and Unexpected Finds
There had certainly been evidence from the past which pointed to a large Roman presence at the site. Records as far back as the 17th century speak of Roman finds in the area, and smaller archaeological digs conducted from 2017 to 2023 seemed to hint at a large Roman complex of buildings there.
These residential buildings would also have made sense given what we know of…
