• Collections and Documentation
  • 20th/21st-Century Collection
  • Archaeological Collection
    • Palaeolithic to Bronze Ages
    • Iron Age to Antiquity
    • Roman Period to Early Middle Ages
  • Arms and Militaria Collection
  • Banner and Flag Collection
  • Carriage, Wagon, Sled Collection
  • Ceramics Collection
  • Coin and Medal Collection
  • Ethnographic Collection
  • Furnishings Collection
  • Glass Collection
  • Graphic Collection
  • Historic Photography Collection
  • Jewellery Collection
  • Painting Collection
  • Precious Metals Collections
  • Sculpture Collection
  • Seal Collection
  • Stained Glass Collection
  • Textiles and Costume Collection
  • Timepiece and Scientific Instrument Collection
  • Toy Collection
  • Uniform Collection
• Documentation Centre
• Sammlungszentrum
• Lending and Registration
• Scientific Publications
• Online Collections

Roman Period to Early Middle Ages

Roman Period

From approx. the beginning of the Common Era to 400 CE

Among other things, the collection comprises key groups of finds from excavations made in the earliest days of archaeological research in Switzerland. The museum also possesses a great number of copies (statuettes, sculptures, inscriptions, precious metal containers). The following outstanding items deserve special mention: the gold treasure discovered in 1741 in Obfelden-Lunnern (canton of Zurich), the gold  treasure of Zurich-Oetenbach, the milestone of Unterwil (canton of Argovia), wooden objects from Vindonissa and an ensemble of late antique glass vessels from Conthey (canton of Valais).

Early Middle Ages

From approx. 400 to 800 CE

The collection contains items of particular historical significance from early Mediaeval cemeteries, such as those in Bülach and Elgg (canton of Zurich), Kaiseraugst (canton of Argovia), Oberbuchsiten (canton of Solothurn) and in Zurich-Bäckerstrasse. The museum also boasts important groups of items and individual finds from all across Switzerland, including a gold foil cross from Stabio (canton of Ticino), a brooch inscribed with runes from Bülach (canton of Zurich) or the ivory writing tablets (diptycha) of the Roman consul Areobindus (506 CE).

To online Collection