La Tene
La Tène is a village near the
Neuenburger See, also called Lac du Neuchâtel, (a lake) in
Switzerland. It is both an archaeological site and the eponymous site for the late Iron Age La Tène culture.
The Site of La Tène
\nIn 1857 the waters of the Neuenburger See were lowered by about 2 m. On the northermost tip of the lake between the river Zihl and south of the village of Marin-Epagnier H. Kopp, looking for antiquities for Colonel F. Schwab discovered several rows of wooden piles that still reached about 50 cm unto the water. From among these, Kopp collected about 40 iron swords.\nThe Swiss archaeologist Ferdinand Keller published the finds in 1868 in his influential first report on the Swiss pile dwellings (Pfahlbaubericht). In 1863 he interpreted the remains as a celtic village built on piles.\nEduard Desor, a geologist from Neuchâtel started excavations on the lakeshore soon afterwards. He interpreted the site as an armory, erected on piles over the lake and later destroyed by enemy action.
With the first systematic lowering of the Swiss lakes in 1868-1883 (erste Juragewässerkorrektur) the site fell completely dry. In 1880, E. Vouga, a teacher from Marin-Epagnier uncovered the wooden remains of two bridges ((Pont Desor and Pont Vouga), originally over 100 m long and the remains of five houses on the shore.\nAfter Vouga had finished, F. Borel, curator of the Marin museus, began to excavate as well.\nIn 1885 the Kanton asked the Société d`Histoire of Neuchâtel to continue the excavations, the results of which were published by Vouga in the same year.
All in all, over 2500 objects, mainly made from metal, have been excavated in La Tène. Weapons predominate, there were 166 swords, most of them without traces of wear, 270 lanceheads and 22 shieldbosses. 385 brooches, tools, parts of chariots, numerous human and animal bones were found as well.
Interpretations vary. Some scholars believe the bridge was destroyed by high water, while others see it as a place of sacrifice after a successful battle (there are almost no female ornaments).
The La Tène culture
\nLa Tène gave its name to the La Tène culture, also spelt Latène or La-Tène. It developed during the late Iron age (450 BC till the Roman Conquest) in eastern France, Switzerland, Austria, southwest Germany, Czech Republic and Hungary. It developed out of the early iron age Hallstatt culture under considerable mediterranean (Greek, later Etruscan) influence. There was a shift of settlement centres as well.
Some people with a La Tène-type material culture were identified by classical authors as "Keltoi". Whether this means that the whole of the La Tène culture ca be attributed to "a" Celtic people is difficult to decide, it is probably best to keep language, material culture and political affiliation apart.
External links
\nFurther reading
\n* John Collis, The Celts. Origins, Myths Invention (London, Tempus 2003).\n* Simon James, The Atlantic Celts (London, British Museum Press, 1999).\n* Simon James/Valerie Rig, Britain and the Celtic Iron Age (London, British Museum Press, 1997.
