2,000-year-old Roman bridge discovered in Switzerland

"The remains of a wooden bridge built over 2,000 years ago have been discovered in Aegerten, Switzerland. More than 300 oak piles from the bridge spans over the Zihl river were unearthed, preserved in the waterlogged soil of the silted-over riverbed. Archaeologists had found remains of Roman military structures on both banks of the Zihl 40 years ago, so when construction was planned in the same area, a team from the Archaeological Service of the Canton of Bern excavated the site."

"They took samples of the oak piles, removed some of the pointed tips of the posts, and examined them in the laboratory. Dendrochronological analysis found that the bridge spans had been repaired or rebuilt numerous times, with the earliest structure dating to around 40 B.C., the earliest years of the Roman conquest of Switzerland after its defeat of the Helvetii tribe."

Archaeologists unearthed over 300 oak piles from a wooden bridge spanning the Zihl river near Aegerten, preserved in waterlogged silt. The Canton of Bern Archaeological Service excavated after earlier Roman military remains were found on both banks. Laboratory dendrochronology showed repeated repairs, with the earliest structure dated to about 40 B.C. and the latest posts to 369 A.D. The Zihl (Thielle) served as a busy Roman transport route and formed part of the Jura transversal connecting to Augusta Raurica. The bridge sat at a key intersection near Petinesca, linking routes from Aventicum to Vindonissa and over Col de Pierre Pertuis. Excavations recovered numerous artifacts, including hobnails.

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