Discovering the remains

The excavations in Augusta Raurica

Archaeological research revolves around people and the traces they have left behind. Inconspicuous remnants can provide important insight. A single tiny artefact such as a coin can sometimes speak volumes to archaeologists and reveal the everyday habits of the former inhabitants of a site.

While the terrain was still being uncovered at high speed by mechanical diggers in the 1960s to gain more sites for development, today all excavations are carried out following strict scientific guidelines: anytime an excavation is mounted in Augusta Raurica teams of professional archaeological excavators ensure that all finds and features are carefully uncovered, documented and retrieved. Moreover, archaeologists today tend to avoid excavating wherever possible so that future generations might have an opportunity to explore aspects that may not yet be recognised as being relevant today.