In the early 21st century, a team of French and Swiss archaeologists excavating in the Valais region of Switzerland made a startling discovery. Buried beneath a layer of sedimentary rock dating back to around 3100 BC was the remains of what appeared to be a large Bronze Age settlement. The site, which came to be known as Tauredunum, yielded evidence of sophisticated metalworking and other advanced technologies.
Since its initial discovery, Tauredunum has been the subject of intense scientific scrutiny. Excavations have revealed that the site was occupied for at least 500 years, from the early Bronze Age to the late Iron Age. During that time, it was home to a community of between 200 and 300 people.
The inhabitants of Tauredunum were skilled artisans who created beautiful works of art in bronze and iron. They also had knowledge of metallurgy and engineering, as evidenced by the many tools and weapons found at the site. In addition, they were expert farmers and herders, raising sheep, goats, cattle, pigs, and chickens. Archaeologists have also found evidence that they cultivated wheat, barley, peas, lentils, flax, and hemp.
The people of Tauredunum lived in well-built houses made from stone and timber. Some houses had two stories; others had three or fourstories. Most houses had an interior courtyard where families could gather in good weather. Each house also had its own storage pits for foodstuffs and other supplies.
Tauredunum was clearly an important center of trade and commerce. It lay at the crossroads of two major trade routes: one linking Italy with Central Europe; the other connecting Spain with Scandinavia via France . Merchants travelling along these routes would have stopped at Tauredunum to buy or sell goods . The presenceof numerous coins from different regions suggests that money played an important role in the economyof Tauredunum . We know from Roman sources that there was already a village called Turicum atthe same location as Tauredunum duringthe 1st century AD . This name is thoughtto derivefromthe Celtic god Taranis , who was worshippedin this area . It is possiblethat Turicum developedfroman earlier settlementcalled Dunomagus , which means “fortified place”in Latin . The nameTaurodunonmeans “fortressor citadelofthe bull”in Celtic , indicating that bulls mayhave been sacrificedthere . However , we cannotbe certainofthe meaningofthenameTauroduno becauseitwas recordedby later historianswho were not familiarwithCeltic languages .”