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Erstfeld

municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland

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General referenceInterpretive dossier study · Crown Archives visual atlas
Record originEnglish Wikipedia
Text licenseCC BY-SA 4.0
Source revisionSep 14, 2026
Entity authorityQ69642 ↗
Source-derived summary

Erstfeld is a municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland.

History

In 1962 a collection of four gold torques and three gold arm rings were discovered near Erstfeld. While the exact origin date is unknown, they are likely from the 4th century BC. The nearly pure gold rings were discovered under 9 meters (30 ft) of land slide debris. The rings show Celtic motifs and designs and display a high level of skill. While their purpose is unknown, one theory is that they were offerings made to celebrate safely crossing the Alps.

Erstfeld is first mentioned in 1258 as Ourzcvelt. In 1638, it was listed under the Latin name in Protocampis. In 1831, it was known as Hirschfelden.

Geography

Erstfeld has an area, as of 2006, of 59.2 km2 (22.9 sq mi). Of this area, 11.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while 29.2% is forested.

Editorial summary

This brief starts where responsible research should: with the source description of “Erstfeld” as municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. Everything that follows is an evidence route, not borrowed authority.

Editorial reviewA concise reference frame for defining the subject, testing terminology and identifying the institution closest to the evidence. The current lead gives the account dated anchors—1962, 1258, 1638, 1831—that can be checked directly. The selected authority fields contribute no independent date. The account is most persuasive where Erstfeld, municipality and canton can be independently traced.
Editorial analysis

Why this record matters

The subject matters to the general reference register because the source frames it as municipality in the canton of Uri in Switzerland. Its deeper value depends on whether names, dates, institutions and citations support that framing.

Evidence profile

Named sources, stable identifiers and responsible institutions provide the strongest route from overview to verifiable evidence. The source revision retrieved here is dated Sep 14, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q69642. VIAF identifies the subject as 239173681. Authority coordinates are 46.812, 8.599. 2 of 3 selected statements include explicit references; 1 carry qualifiers and 0 use preferred rank. The first chronological checks are 1962, 1258, 1638 and 1831.

Critical limits

Overview language is designed for orientation and should not be treated as a substitute for the evidence cited beneath it. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.

How to read it

Use the entry as an orientation point, then follow its citations and revision history. Names, dates and institutional relationships should be checked against the original record.

Best used for
  • Subject orientation
  • Search vocabulary
  • Locating named sources
Verify next

The closest primary source, responsible institution and strongest cited specialist reference.

Three-step research path

  1. Establish the record: confirm the title “Erstfeld”, its source revision and the description used here.
  2. Expand the search: follow Erstfeld primary sources, Erstfeld archive and Erstfeld research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
  3. Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.

Questions for further research

  1. Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Erstfeld”?
  2. Which cited source is closest to the event, object or claim?
  3. What terminology or title could unlock a more precise catalogue search?
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Source & attribution

This entry incorporates text from “Erstfeld” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.