La Tène site

Origin of the name La Tène site

Name origin: the site takes its name from the place called La Tène, at the mouth of the Thielle. The name is linked to the Latin « tenuis », referring to the shallows typical of this area (to be cross-checked).

Founding of La Tène site

The La Tène site lies on the north shore of Lake Neuchâtel, near the mouth of the Thielle, in the municipality of Laténa. It was identified in November 1857 by Hans Kopp, a fisherman and collector of antiquities working for Colonel Friedrich Schwab. The articles of Édouard Desor and the international prehistory congresses of Neuchâtel (1866), Bologna (1871) and Stockholm (1874) gave it international fame: from 1874, the adoption of the terminology proposed by the Swede Hans Hildebrand made La Tène the type site of the European later Iron Age. The excavations, made possible by the first Jura water correction (1868-1891), uncovered two bridges and exceptional finds, now preferably interpreted as those of a sanctuary.

History of La Tène site

around 658 BC. Dendrochronological dating of the Desor bridge, long attributed to the Roman period and in fact older than the Vouga bridge.

3rd century BC. Period of most of the finds (90% date from Middle La Tène, from the second half of the 3rd to the first half of the 2nd century BC), with which the Vouga bridge is associated.

1857. In November, Hans Kopp, a fisherman working for Colonel Friedrich Schwab, identifies the site.

1866. The international prehistory congress held in Neuchâtel adds to the site's fame.

1868-1891. After the first Jura water correction, Émile Vouga carries out excavations aimed solely at collecting objects.

1874. Adoption of the terminology proposed by the Swede Hans Hildebrand: La Tène designates the European later Iron Age.

1885. Émile Vouga publishes « Les Helvètes à La Tène ».

1886. Victor Gross publishes « La Tène, un oppidum helvète » (Paris).

1907-1917. Excavations by the Excavation Commission, led first by William Wavre, then by Paul Vouga from 1909.

1923. Publication of « La Tène : monographie de la station » (Leipzig), listing 2'479 objects.

1972. J. M. De Navarro lists over 3'046 objects held in sixteen museums.

2003. A small-scale rescue excavation provides new observations.

2007. Study of the site resumes as part of a Swiss National Science Foundation research project.

2011. Over 4'500 objects from the site are recorded in some thirty museums.

1 January 2025. The site becomes part of the new municipality of Laténa, formed by the merger of Enges, Hauterive, La Tène and Saint-Blaise.

Historic sites in La Tène site

Mouth of the Thielle. The site lies on the north shore of Lake Neuchâtel, near the mouth of the Thielle, close to the former village of Epagnier.

Remains in La Tène site

Vouga bridge. Bridge with an estimated length of at least 90 metres and an estimated width of about 4 metres; it is not dated by dendrochronology but is associated with most of the finds, i.e. the 3rd century BC.

Desor bridge. Second bridge, long attributed to the Roman period, dated by dendrochronology to around 658 BC.

Finds. Weapons (swords, spearheads, shields), ornaments (brooches, belt hooks), tools, bronze cauldrons, nine gold staters and six quarter staters, then copper-alloy coins; exceptionally preserved organic materials include wooden shields, ten-spoked chariot wheels, textiles and basketry.

Human remains. Remains of human skeletons, including twenty preserved skulls, and animal remains, together with weapons bearing marks of deliberate destruction, support the interpretation of the site as a place of worship, offering, sacrifice and display of objects.

Sources

• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Tène, La (site archéologique) » (Gilbert Kaenel)
• Dictionnaire historique de la Suisse, « Epagnier » (Olivier Girardbille)
• Wikipédia (français), La Tène (site archéologique)
• Commune de Laténa, « Fusion »
• geo.admin.ch, service de recherche de lieux (swisstopo)

Other villages near La Tène site

• Epagnier (NE)
• Marin-Épagnier (NE)
• Thielle (NE)
• Wavre (NE)
• Souaillon (NE)