In Orbe, some 10 kilometers to the south-west of the Lac de Neuchâtel, a villa was found at the locality Boscéaz. It is one of the most important Roman sites in Switzerland, primarily because of its mosaics, but also because of its size: the main building had more than 100 rooms. The first buildings were erected in the first century, in the 60's or 70's. The villa reached its main extension in the 160's-170's, during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. It was abandoned around 400 AD. The remains have been reburied, with the exception of mosaics, which can be seen in little sheds.
Modern sheds in which mosaics can be seen. Photo: swissinfo.ch.Mosaics were mentioned for the first time in 1736. The first mosaics that can still be seen today were discovered in 1841: the "rustic procession mosaic" and the geometric "squares and lozenges mosaic". In 1845 two more mosaics were discovered by baron Gustav von Bonstetten and Albert Jahn: the "Triton mosaic" and the "labyrinth mosaic". One year later the "Triton mosaic" was largely destroyed by some idiot, apparently an act of revenge. Fortunately a drawing had been made before this disaster struck. The "labyrinth mosaic" was reburied, to be unearthed once more in 1930. In 1862 the "deities mosaic" was discovered and protected by a shed. In 1863 a geometric mosaic now known as the "laurel leaves mosaic" was found and reburied. It would be unearthed again in 1915 and 1925, when two other geometric mosaics next to it were also found.
Three of the geometric mosaics during excavation in 1925. Photo: Paunier et al. 2016, fig. 6.The first organized excavations started in 1896, led by Albert Naef. Trenches were dug on several occasions in later years. There were some geophysical prospecting surveys in the 1970's and 1980's, and in 1976 and 1979 aerial photos were taken. The plan emerged of one of the largest villas known in the Roman world. Excavations on a large scale then began in 1986. In 1993 the "Achilles mosaic" was discovered.
View of the excvations of the main building in 1993. Photo: Luginbühl et al. 2001, fig. 13.In 1996-1997 a building was excavated that was visible on the aerial photos and seemed to be an early-Christian church. It turned out to be a mithraeum.
Aerial photo taken in 1976. In the lower part is the mithraeum. Photo: Weidmann et al. 2007, 31.The ancient name of the site is recorded in the Itinerarium Antonini: Urba. In the surroundings of the villa no traces of a settlement have been found, so Urba must be the villa, part of which will have been a mansio, a stopping place and inn, and a mutatio, a place for changing horses. The family that owned the villa must have belonged to the elite of Aventicum (Avenches), and members of the family will have been city councillors and mayors in that city. The Cluvii Macrii have been suggested, a family that is documented in three inscriptions discovered on the forum of Aventicum.
Plan of the villa. Dubois 2016, fig. 1.
Model of the villa. Photo: Wikimedia, Sylvain Gailloud.
Literature
Bursian 1869; Deonna 1924; Barbey-Decollogny-Poget 1929; Schazmann 1932; Clouzot 1933; Poget 1934; Chessex 1935; Wirth-Bernards 1935; Stern 1951; Von Gonzenbach 1961, 173-199; Renard 1966; Koller 1973; Von Gonzenbach 1975; Koller 1976; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 463-465; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 199-200; Luginbühl et al. 2001; Neukom 2002, nrs. 4, 7-8, 14-16, 22, 25, 27, 44-45, 47, 61; Bujard 2005; Paratte 2005; Schwab 2012; Delbarre-Bärtschi 2014, 261-267, 327-332; Luginbühl et al. 2004; Paunier et al. 2016; Dubois 2016; Dubois 2020; Guay 2021.
[14-Mar-2024]
