how strange it is to be anything at all

You’ve heard of woolly mammoths, but what about woolly tapirs? 🤔Also known as the mountain tapir (Tapirus pinchaque), this species can be found in the cloud forests of South America’s Andes Mountains. Adults can weigh up to 400 lbs (182 kg), and their thick fur coats help insulate them from the cold temperatures of their habitat. Unfortunately, this endangered species is threatened by human activity including hunting and deforestation. 

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In November 2024, the Neuchâtel Cantonal Archaeology Office (OARC) discovered a previously unknown shipwreck in Lake Neuchâtel through the analysis of aerial photographs. Maritime archaeologists followed up a few days later with an exploratory dive and confirmed they had found a large cargo of ceramics, suggesting it was a merchant ship. However, the ship itself is no longer there. They recovered a few artifacts for analysis, including a piece of wood that was radiocarbon dated to a range of 25 BC–50 AD.

In March 2025, the research continued, and efforts were made to salvage the particularly valuable finds to protect them from destruction or even looting. During this process, the cargo was examined more closely, revealing hundreds of intact ceramic tableware vessels, including dishes, plates, cups, and bowls, produced in the region.

There are also amphorae for olive oil imported from Spain, along with utensils and tools that would have been used by the crew. Furthermore, components of harnesses and wagons were also found, including well-preserved wheels, the only Roman examples of their kind in Switzerland. The further discovery of swords at the wreck site suggests that the civilian merchant vessel had a military escort on board.

In Roman times, lakes such as Neuchâtel formed part of an inland transport network that connected river routes and overland trade, and the wagons would have played a part in this hybrid transport system.

The vessel would have provided transport across the lake between Roman settlements, probably linking trading hubs such as ancient Eburodunum (modern Yverdon-les-Bains). The lake was known to the Romans as Lacus Eburodunensis at the time of the shipwreck.

Since the excavations are still ongoing and the exact location is being kept secret, it is possible that the site may hold further surprises.

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