Vix Grave

The Vix Grave is an Early Iron Age elite burial discovered on the slopes of Mont Lassois near Châtillon-sur-Seine in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France. The burial is dated to about 500 BCE and represents one of the richest La Tène assemblages found in Western Europe.

The site is best known for the monumental bronze vessel commonly called the Vix Krater, a Greek-made volute krater measuring roughly 1.64 m in height, and for the wide range of luxury items recovered. Finds from the grave include jewellery, metal vessels and a four-wheeled cart, many of which are on public display in the local museum.

Excavations began in 1953 under the direction of regional archaeologists; the burial has been interpreted as a single high-status interment associated with the Mont Lassois hillfort. The assemblage has been central to discussions of cross-channel and Mediterranean contacts in the Early Iron Age.

The site sits on Mont Lassois above the town of Châtillon-sur-Seine in the Côte-d’Or department of Burgundy. The principal finds can be seen at the Musée du Pays Châtillonnais in Châtillon-sur-Seine.

• Vix Krater size: Measures about 1.64 m tall and is the largest known bronze volute krater; attributed to Greek workshops around 500 BCE.
• Museum display: Most finds from the burial are conserved and displayed at the Musée du Pays Châtillonnais in Châtillon-sur-Seine, which is the main place to view the original objects.

What to See #

• Lady of Vix grave: Single high-status burial dated to about 500 BCE containing rich grave goods including jewellery, a four-wheeled cart and other items indicative of elite status in La Tène Europe.
• Vix Krater: Bronze volute krater of eastern Mediterranean manufacture measuring about 1.64 m in height and dating to around 500 BCE; among the largest known bronze kraters from the ancient world.
• Mont Lassois oppidum: Hilltop fortified settlement adjacent to the grave that shows occupation and power concentration in the Late Hallstatt and La Tène periods.
• Musée du Pays Châtillonnais - Trésor de Vix: Local archaeological museum in Châtillon-sur-Seine that conserves and exhibits the Vix assemblage including the krater and personal ornaments.