Unique Fibula was Discovered in Baden-Württemberg

The archaeological rescue excavations in Rottweil were completed in November 2019 after four months of work. On the research area residential houses will soon be built.

Salisbury teams uncovered the centre of the residential building of a Roman villa rustica (farm) on an area of ​​2,500 m2. Right in front of the walls of the city founded by the Romans, Arae Flaviae, there was a relatively modest farmstead. The stone building, inhabited for around 150 years, could have been a single-storey or, maybe a two-storey building. The fate of the edifice built on a slope was probably sealed by a natural disaster, as its northern wall was swept away by an unexpectedly rushing mountain stream. Due to erosion, only a few scattered wooden pile pits refer to the former outbuildings.

The archaeologists have also discovered drainage ditches, one of which is up to 150 meters long. Regarding the finds, in addition to Roman ceramics from the 2nd/3rd century BC, the most beautiful piece of the excavation is an enameled bronze fibula (brooch) from the 9th century. No similar object has been discovered in Baden-Württemberg so far.

Our archaeologists have had a nice time in Rottweil, but they have also had to deal with challenges, such as analyzing the complex geology of the area. At the end of the excavation, the trenches will be refilled, and then the house construction work can begin.