The remains of a Roman bridge were uncovered in Aegerten, about 20 miles northwest of Bern, Switzerland earlier this month, according to the Miami Herald.
Experts found more than 300 oak piles well-preserved in waterlogged soil near the Thielle or Zihl River. There, the bridge once stood, connecting either side of the major waterway, outside of the gates the small Roman town Petinesca. The bridge was a key part of the Jura Transversal, a major Rome trade and transportation route between Roman military camps and settlements.
The wood dates back to the Roman era and indicates the bridge underwent multiple repairs over a 400-year period of use.
Dendrochronological analysis determined that the oldest sections of the bridge were constructed around 40 BCE, when the Romans conquered the Celtic Helvetii who hailed from southern Germany. The most recent piles date to the reign of Emperor Valentinian I in 369 CE.
The Romans erected a number of military barracks and towns, and governed much of present-day Switzerland until 400 CE. Aegerten is one such example of a Swiss town with Roman origins.
A number of other artifacts were found nearby the bridge including horseshoes, nails, axes, a fishing trident, coins, keys, and a well-preserved wood and iron carpenter’s plane.
Roman military structures were also previously identified in Aegerten approximately four decades ago.
