The Celtic Sanctuary of the Mormont

22 November 2021

The Swiss cement manufacturer Holcim did what it has been doing for decades: making cement from lime by digging up mountains and hills.

On the Mormont hill, between the villages of Éclépens and La Sarraz (canton of Vaud), the excavations were in full swing in 2006. One of the most significant archaeological sites of Celtic tribes came to light on this occasion.

After discovering Celtic settlements (5th-1st century B.C. period) in La Tène near Neuchàtel in the middle of the nineteenth century, Mormont is the second prominent Celtic presence in Switzerland. In addition, Celtic existence has been proven in many other places by smaller finds.

At Mormont, it concerns a sanctuary where humans’ skeletons, bones, and numerous bones of animals and many objects have been found.

The Helvetic tribe inhabited this area (and the Swiss Plateau). Other tribes on the present-day Swiss territory are the Rhaetians in the east (Graubünden), the Lepontii, Uberes, Nantuates, Sedunes and Veragres in the Alpine region and southern Switzerland and the Rauracen in parts of northern Jura, Basel and Basel-Landschaft.

The Mormont was used as a cemetery and sanctuary during the Iron Age 450-100 B.C.

Around 200 graves and sacrificial sites have been discovered since 2006. They include hundreds of men, women and children, the remains of some 460 animals (cows, horses, poultry, pigs, sheep, one wolf, one red deer, one bear, one donkey) and many other (utilitarian and religious) objects and weapons, including axes, swords, rings, chisels, knives, coins (Roman at the time of the Republic (up to 44 B.C.) and Celtic coins).

The research is still going on. Attention is being paid, among other things, to the causes of death of people (some skeletons were beheaded, a Celtic custom in case of conquered enemies, others burned, some intact), diseases and nutrition. The researchers also hope to gain better insight into the world of the gods.

What is the share of the (domestic) animals, and what does it say about, for instance, nutrition? So far, 211 cattle, 51 horses, 87 pigs, 31 sheep, 8 dogs and 17 goats have been identified. Where did the horses come from, for instance? What were they used for? What is the meat’s share in the diet?

What do the objects tell us about daily life, religious life and warfare? Where did they come from? What does it reveal about trade with other tribes, the Mediterranean and other parts of Europe?

The bronze and silver coins also have a story to tell. The Celtic coins were in use in the area of the Three Lakes Region (the lakes of Neuchâtel, Morat and Bienne) and the French Jura; the Roman coins came mainly from the period from the second century BCE, which coincides with the Roman conquest of the south of France up to Geneva (122-120 BCE) and the formation of the Provincia Gallia Narbonensis.

Conclusion

Mormont is an industrial limestone mine and an archaeological gold mine. The research is still relatively young, but the first findings confirm earlier investigations from the Halstatt period (800-450 B.C., see the Welterbemuseum Halstatt in Austria) and La Tène (450-100 B.C., see also the museum Laténium in Hauterive, canton Neuchâtel).

What makes this Celtic site unique is its religious function, with about 200 graves, so far one of the largest Celtic sites of its kind.

(Source: C. Brunetti, G. Kaenel, P. Méniel, (ed.), ‘Les Helvètes au Mormont’ in Archéothéma. Histoire et archéologie, hors série 7, Avril 2014; W. Dusan (ed.), Le Mormont. Un sanctuaire des Helvètes en terre vaudoise vers 100 avant J.-C., Lausanne 2009).