Satellite of largest La Tène necropolis found

A group of Iron Age graves unearthed in the commune of Bobigny, a suburb northeast of Paris, adds more than two dozen more burials to the largest La Tène period necropolis in Europe. Archaeologists from France’s National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (INRAP) discovered 26 burials containing 27 individuals, and there were likely more that have been destroyed by agricultural work and development.

The main necropolis was first discovered in 2002 when construction of a new building on the grounds of a hospital uncovered ten graves. Subsequent excavations unearthed 515 burials dating to the 3rd and 2nd centuries B.C. over an area of about 1,500 square meters (16,145 square feet, or 1/3 of an acre). This was an unprecedented find, the largest, most important La Tène culture necropolis in Europe.

Secondary funerary groupings associated with the settlement and its necropolis have been found before, but they were scattered burials with no more than 10 individuals. The Bobigny find is significantly larger and more organized, with a variety of burial types and grave goods. The deceased were mostly adults, but there were also children under the age of four, two between the ages of five and nine, and two infants.

The deceased were mostly lying on their backs, but some were buried on their right side. About a third had their heads deliberately raised. Wooden casings and several shrouds were identified. There was one case of a double burial of children. The artifacts discovered were mostly iron brooches, sometimes made of copper alloy, which were used to secure shrouds or clothing. They were placed at the level of the thorax or wrist of some subjects.

Ornaments, such as an iron torque, iron, copper alloy, and lignite bracelets, and an iron ring, were also found in functional positions on some of the deceased, including young children. One adult and one child were buried with vases.

Finally, a man’s grave contained a warrior’s panoply: a shield umbo, a sword and its suspension chain, and a spearhead. Textile remains were revealed in contact with the metal objects, with around thirty fabrics identified, mainly wool twills.

* This article was originally published here