2,600-year-old necropolis discovered northwestern France

Since the work of the Great West Bypass of Strasbourg (GCO) began more than a month ago, several archaeological rescue excavations have been launched along the entire route.

Whole skeleton found in one of the twenty graves of the tumulus. The first analyses by archaeologists
show that it is a male [Credit: © Judith Jung/France 3 Alsace]

Excavation zones were identified by the State according to a survey carried out before the start of the bypass work.

Of particular interest is the discovery of a tumulus with twenty burials in Pfulgriesheim (Bas-Rhin), believed to date from the Hallstatt period (600 BC).

Archaeologists have been conducting excavations at the 4500 m2 site for nearly a month
[Credit: © Judith Jung/France 3 Alsace]

Sébastien Goepfert, archaeologist at Antea Archaeology and responsible for the site, did not expect so many discoveries. "We removed the topsoil to reach the loess" and it was there that the first tombs, all arranged around a central tomb, were discovered.

Bronze torque necklace that dates the necropolis to 600 BC during the Hallstatt period
[Credit: © Judith Jung/France 3 Alsace]

The archaeologists who are working on the excavation, all specialising in different fields of research, have found bones, often in poor condition, and various personal ornaments. "The first elements allow us to say that the social group was fairly well-off."

"It is the ornaments that allow us to date the necropolis." Now, a lengthy process of recording fragments and jewellery, photographing, cleaning and studying will begin.

Human bone fragments [Credit: © Judith Jung/France 3 Alsace]

The objective, of course, is to be able to define the sex, health status and exact origin of the jewellery in order to draw very specific conclusion.

A first observation is that bodies buried directly in the earth are in better condition than those of wealthier individuals in coffins. It remains to be seen why.

As noted above, some ten excavations are currently underway along the GCO route, with another twently planned during the bypass work.

Source: France 3 [November 18, 2018]