Graves of Sainte-Colombe-sur-Seine facts for kids

An ancient bronze pot (called a lebes) from the La Garenne grave. It was made by the Etruscans around 600 BC.

The Graves of Sainte-Colombe-sur-Seine are ancient burial sites from about 2,600 years ago. They are located near the town of Sainte-Colombe-sur-Seine in eastern France. These graves are special because they belonged to important people from the Iron Age.

Discovering Ancient Treasures

These burial sites are linked to a time called the Hallstatt culture during the Iron Age. This was a period when people started using iron tools and weapons. In the 1800s, a French emperor named Napoleon III asked for these graves to be dug up.

What they found was amazing! The graves were for very important people, and they contained fancy items. Some people were buried with their wagons, which was a sign of high status.

One of the first graves found was at a place called La Garenne. Inside, archaeologists discovered a beautiful bronze pot called a lebes (pronounced "LEB-ess"). This pot came all the way from the Etruscans, an ancient people who lived in what is now Italy. You can see this special pot today at the Musée du Pays Châtillonnais in Châtillon-sur-Seine.

Another important grave was found at a spot called La Butte. Here, archaeologists found the grave of a woman. She was buried with gold bracelets and earrings. She was also laid to rest on a fancy funeral wagon decorated with iron. These gold items are now kept at the National Archeological Museum in Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

Who Lived Near the Graves?

For a long time, experts thought the important people buried at Sainte-Colombe-sur-Seine might have lived at a nearby place called Mont Lassois.

However, in 2015, scientists used special tools to look underground without digging. This method is called a geomagnetic survey. They found signs of several large buildings very close to the Sainte-Colombe graves. These buildings seemed to be part of one big complex. This discovery suggests that the important people buried there might have lived right nearby, not just at Mont Lassois.

Gallery

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  Gold bracelets, 6th century BC

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  Gold earrings, 6th century BC