Franz Zahn made the find in August while collecting scrap metal for an unnamed farmer in the northeastern city of Güttingen. Next to the decorations in the farmer’s freshly plowed carrot field were the fossilized remains of ancient animals.

What is known

• The finds included a necklace of 14 studded bronze discs, two spiral rings and more than 100 tiny amber beads about the size of a pinhead. Zahn was carefully pulling them out of the soil with tweezers.
• Other items likely scattered across the field during farming included a bronze arrowhead, polished ore fragments, an ammonite (an extinct type of marine mollusk), a shark tooth, a hollow bear tooth, and rock crystal.

Rings found in the field / Photo Canton Thurgau

Bronze necklace / Photo Canton Thurgau

After finding the artifacts, Zahn contacted the local Archaeological Office to investigate the treasures further. Archaeologists determined that the jewelry was “typical costume jewelry” worn by women around 1500 BCIn the Bronze Age.

Archaeologists described the spiked disks as “particularly attractive” and noted that metal spirals were strung between each disk to keep them separate. Each such disk also had a hole that allowed them to be aligned on a tooth.

Bronze necklace / Photo Canton Thurgau

None No human remains were found at this location. Archaeologists believe the objects were buried in a sack or other type of organic container that rotted over time. Researchers believe that regardless of how they were buried, these items were unique to their owners and could have a protective or healing effect, like amulets.

The newly discovered artifacts are currently being restored and will be exhibited at the Archaeological Museum in Frauenfeld next year.