Editing La Tène culture (section)

==Type site==
{{See Also|La Tène (archaeological site)|Iron Age Switzerland}}
[[File:Latenium Celtic bridge mg 2221.jpg|thumb|Reconstruction of one of the bridges at the La Tène site|185x185px]]

The [[La Tène (archaeological site)|La Tène]] [[type site]] is on the northern shore of [[Lake Neuchâtel]], [[Switzerland]], where the small river [[Thielle]], connecting to another lake, enters the Lake Neuchâtel.<ref>[[Swisstopo]] map (1931) [https://s.geo.admin.ch/7dae336550 geo.admin.ch]</ref> In 1857, prolonged [[drought]] lowered the waters of the lake by about {{Convert|2|m|abbr=on}}. On the northernmost tip of the lake, between the river and a point south of the village of [[Marin-Epagnier|Epagnier]] ({{coor|47.0045|N|7.016|E|}}), Hansli Kopp, looking for antiquities for Colonel Frédéric Schwab, discovered several rows of wooden piles that still reached up about {{Convert|50|cm|abbr=on}} into the water. From among these, Kopp collected about forty iron swords.

The Swiss archaeologist [[Ferdinand Keller (antiquity scholar)|Ferdinand Keller]] published his findings 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. [[Eduard Desor]], a geologist from [[Neuchâtel]], started excavations on the lakeshore soon afterwards. He interpreted the site as an armory, erected on platforms on piles over the lake and later destroyed by enemy action. Another interpretation accounting for the presence of cast iron swords that had not been sharpened, was of a site for ritual depositions.

With the first [[Jura water correction|systematic lowering of the Swiss lakes]] from 1868 to 1883, the site fell completely dry. In 1880, Emile Vouga, a teacher from Marin-Epagnier, uncovered the wooden remains of two bridges (designated "Pont Desor" and "Pont Vouga") originally over {{Convert|100|m|abbr=on}} long, that crossed the little Thielle River (today a nature reserve) and the remains of five houses on the shore. After Vouga had finished, F. Borel, curator of the Marin museum, began to excavate as well. In 1885 the [[Cantons of Switzerland|canton]] 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 being 166 [[sword]]s (most without traces of wear), 270 lanceheads, and 22 [[shield boss]]es, along with 385 [[brooch]]es, tools, and parts of [[chariot]]s. Numerous human and animal bones were found as well. The site was used from the 3rd century, with a peak of activity around 200&nbsp;BCE and abandonment by about 60&nbsp;BCE.<ref>Megaw, 132-133</ref> Interpretations of the site 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).

An exhibition marking the 150th anniversary of the discovery of the La Tène site opened in 2007 at the Musée Schwab in [[Biel/Bienne]], Switzerland, then [[Zürich]] in 2008 and Mont Beuvray in [[Burgundy (region)|Burgundy]] in 2009.