New archaeological discoveries through magnetic gradiometry: The early Celtic settlement on Mont Lassois, France

Abstract

The burial complex of the “Lady of Vix” was discovered and excavated in the 1950s at the foot of Mont Lassois (Figure 1), a mountain situated close to the town of Chatillion-sur-Seine in the Bourgogne region of France. The assemblage of the burial goods was rather extraordinary, including such items as an artfully crafted golden necklace with winged horses and a voluminous wine-mixing vessel, probably made in a Greek workshop, capable of holding 1100 liters. According to archaeological research, this member of the aristocracy must have lived during the period between 550 and 500 BCE. Several large-scale geophysical research projects were undertaken in the vicinity of the burial complex during the last few years to learn the history of the settlements from that period. This led not only to the discovery of the expected settlement structures, but also to the discoveries of the remains of several large burial mounds that had been erected along the River Seine.