Le site de Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon a été découvert en bordure
sud du cône alluvial de la Sionne... more Le site de Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon a été découvert en bordure sud du cône alluvial de la Sionne, à la faveur de la construction d’un immeuble d’habitations et de commerces. Les vestiges mis au jour montrent que les lieux ont été fréquentés à plusieurs reprises entre le Néolithique et la période antique. Les restes les plus significatifs sont représentés par cinq sépultures en ciste, que les datations radiocarbone situent dans le dernier tiers du 5ième millénaire avant notre ère. Quatre coffres étaient groupés dans la partie sud-est de l’emprise du chantier. Le cinquième était isolé, à quelques dizaines de mètres à l’ouest du groupe. Cet ensemble présente les caractères spécifiques des sépultures de type Chamblandes et vient s’ajouter à la dizaine d’ensembles funéraires connus à Sion et dans les alentours. Par leurs caractéristiques et leur excellente conservation, les sépultures de Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon contribuent de manière significative à une meilleure compréhension du phénomène Chamblandes en Valais. Die Fundstelle Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon wurde beim Bau eines Hochhauses am Südrand des Schwemmkegels der Sionne entdeckt. Die freigelegten Überreste zeigen, dass der Ort zwischen Neolithikum und Antike mehrmals aufgesucht wurde. Zu den bedeutendsten Funden zählen fünf Grabkisten, die durch 14C-Datierungen in das letzte Drittel des 5. Jahrtausends v. Chr. datiert werden können. Vier Grabkisten waren im südöstlichen Teil des untersuchten Areals gruppiert. Die fünfte stand isoliert westlich der Gruppe. Dieser Komplex weist die spezifischen Merkmale der Gräber vom Typ Chamblandes auf und kommt zu den zehn bekannten Gräberkomplexen in Sitten und Umgebung hinzu. Aufgrund ihrer Merkmale und ihrer ausgezeichneten Erhaltung tragen die Gräber von Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon wesentlich zu einem besseren Verständnis des Chamblandes-Phänomens im Wallis bei.
While updating and digitalising the site inventory of the canton of Graubünden, two hitherto unp... more While updating and digitalising the site inventory of the canton of Graubünden, two hitherto unpublished flint assemblages from Rothenbrunnen-Hochjuvalt and Paspels-Canova in the Domleschg were noticed. Both were discovered in the 1860s and subsequently in written sources variously mentioned and also swapped. A careful reworking of the research history, as well as the technological and morphological analysis allow a clear separation of the two assemblages. Based upon cultural historical comparisons, they can easily be designated as depositions. The assemblage from Paspels-Canova, consisting of two blades of raw material from the Monti Lessini (prov. Verona / I) and a radiolarite blade of an unknown origin, can be dated with a high probability to the Late Neolithic. The depot can certainly be seen in the context of the transalpine transport of such blades, whereby the precise reasons for the deposition remain unclear. One possibility could be a placement at a prominent location in the mental map of the prehistoric people, especially since the site of the deposition, when coming from the south, lies close to the final two, only with difficulty passable gorges on the way to the Alpine Rhine Valley. On the other hand, the assemblage from Rothenbrunnen-Hochjuvalt, comprising two blades of flint from Świeciechów-Lasek (woj. lubelskie / PL), cannot be dated with precision. The most plausible theory to us seems that the deposition occurred within the Late Medieval to Modern river barrage during the historical period by soldiers who had brought the finds from Eastern Europe, e. g. during the Revolt of the Leagues (1620-1637) or the so-called Helvetic Republic (1798-1802).
Seit der frühen Menschheitsgeschichte prägen Werkstoffe unsern Alltag. Hatten sich unsere frühest... more Seit der frühen Menschheitsgeschichte prägen Werkstoffe unsern Alltag. Hatten sich unsere frühesten Vorfahren zunächst noch mit einfachsten Hilfsmitteln aus der Natur versorgt, so lernten ihre Nachkommen im Laufe der Jahrhunderttausende, die vielfältigen Werkstoffeigenschaften mancher Naturmaterialien immer besser zu ihrem Vorteil zu nutzen. In der Folge entwickelten sie daraus ständig neue und optimaler an die täglichen Bedürfnisse angepasste Werkzeuge. Je differenzierter die Geräte im Laufe der Zeit wurden, desto höher wurden auch die Ansprüche an die verwendeten Materialien, was mit einer immer aufwändigeren Beschaffung einherging.
In this study, the path of the raw material silicite (cf. flint/chert etc.) from its extraction i... more In this study, the path of the raw material silicite (cf. flint/chert etc.) from its extraction in the mine to its disposal is analysed in detail. On the basis of over 32,000 archaeological finds and with the inclusion of various integrative investigation methods, the question of whether the archaeological data provides evidence of production processes based on the division of labour is investigated. In combination with archaeological and ethnographic comparative data, the data collected in this way is used as a basis for the reconstruction of prehistoric supply networks and the social structures of the time. The result is a picture of a Neolithic society in the northern foothills of the Alps that was organised in part by the division of labour, widely networked and highly adaptable.
The remains of an Early and Middle Neolithic settlement were examined in an area of over 3000 m2 ... more The remains of an Early and Middle Neolithic settlement were examined in an area of over 3000 m2 on the western edge of Gächlingen from 2001 to 2006. The site was severely threatened by modern agriculture and yielded the first ever settlement features from the Linearbandkeramik Culture found on Swiss soil. Though the structures were badly damaged by erosion and crop farming, the remains of at least 23 Neolithic buildings were uncovered. Unfortunately, the settlement history could only be partially reconstructed because many of the features had been so severely damaged during the long history of settlement and as a result of erosion, modern farming and bioturbation. This had also led to considerable commingling of the pit assemblages, which meant that it was not possible to build a detailed reconstruction of the settlement’s development.
The excavations carried out so far have only uncovered a small section of the area that was originally covered by the prehistoric settlement. The surface finds that were scattered around the excavated trenches suggested that many more archaeological features must still be hidden below ground, which may yet change the current picture we have of the Neolithic settlement at Gächlingen. Judging by the Early Neolithic pottery, Gächlingen was one of the earliest examples of a farming settlement in the High Rhine area. The decorations and fabric of the Linearbandkeramik pottery suggest that the settlers had moved to Gächlingen from the River Neckar region. It is not yet clear if the indigenous people they encountered upon their arrival had already adopted the Neolithic lifestyle or whether they were still Late Mesolithic hunters and gatherers.
A collection of sherds that belonged to the western European pottery tradition is of particular interest. It finds its closest parallels in the pottery of the La Hoguette type, but clearly sets itself apart, mainly by virtue of its rather peculiar decorative style. Its relative-chronological position as compared to Linearbandkeramik ware must remain open for the time being because of the problems with the archaeological context at Gächlingen. Analyses of clay samples, however, did at least show that the pottery had been made from local materials and that therefore it had not been imported in the context of cultural contacts.
Whilst unfortunately we cannot make any statements about the economy (crop farming, animal husbandry) of the Gächlingen farming community because of the poor preservation conditions for organic materials, geoarchaeological examinations of soil columns showed that the Early Neolithic soils in the Klettgau region had probably not been overly fertile. It would therefore have required a significant effort on the part of the settlers to produce a good yield.
Numerous lithic artefacts recovered from the site provided a rare glimpse into how the natural resources that were available in the region had been used at the time. This allowed us to make a detailed reconstruction of the use of flint deposits available in the region. Thanks to extensive geological surveys carried out on site and subsequent microfacial analyses it was possible to localise and characterise the individual deposits quite closely. We were also able to almost completely reconstruct the chaîne opératoire of flint production. The most striking insight was that the Gächlingen farming community had obviously used various deposits and had worked the raw materials using techniques specifically modified to suit the local flint. Another very interesting discovery was that raw materials from deposits south of the River Rhine had been processed at Gächlingen, which suggests that there were functioning communication networks in the region. The evidence also suggested that surplus was produced at the site, which could have been supplied to neighbouring regions.
The analysis of the rock artefacts yielded interesting information. The raw material used to make the axe blades, for instance, does not appear to have been sourced locally. The closest deposits were located in the Hegau region (basalt) and in the southern Black Forest area (so-called knotenschiefer or nodular shale). Other materials may have been brought to Gächlingen from even further afield. The raw materials used to make querns or grinding stones, on the other hand, came from local natural deposits, from the area around Schleitheim and the neighbouring Wutach Valley, just under 5 km from the site as the crow flies. Unworked quernstone blanks found at the settlement suggest that large stones had been brought to the site as raw or half-finished objects which were then further worked on site to create serviceable implements.
Numerous pieces of evidence suggested that Gächlingen must have played an important role within the Early Neolithic regional settlement landscape; the site may even have served as a central place. Besides the Linearbandkeramik settlement traces, remains of Middle Neolithic, Urnfield-period, La Tène-period, Roman and early medieval settlements also came to light on the western edge of Gächlingen. Certain sherds could also point to the presence of a Late Neolithic settlement.
The intensive settlement activity on site shows that over the course of several thousand years Gächlingen was one of the most favoured places to settle in the region and that the choice of location for the first settlement had obviously not been a coincidence. Although it was not possible due to the poor preservation conditions to answer numerous questions regarding the chronology and history of the settlement, the finds and features from Gächlingen have nevertheless allowed us to gain considerable new insight into the lifestyle of the earliest farmers in the High Rhine region. A completely new light has thus been shone on the Neolithisation of the northern foothills of the Alps. Future discoveries and research will complete this rather sketchy picture and extend the chapter on the changeover from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one of sedentary farming with the addition of numerous important aspects as yet unknown.
Flint and chert are non-detrital siliceous rocks with a conchoidal fracture and were some of the ... more Flint and chert are non-detrital siliceous rocks with a conchoidal fracture and were some of the most important raw materials used by Stone Age people. In the greater Schaffhausen area the earliest archaeological evidence of the use of these raw materials dates back to the Late Palaeolithic (Magdalenian). Chert artefacts are also frequently found in Neolithic settlements throughout the region. Although the archaeological excavations in Canton Schaffhausen yielded a huge body of indigenous chert, hardly anything was known about the background of chert extraction and its circulation mechanisms. Based on three Late Neolithic open air sites that had yielded above-average amounts of knapped chert, an attempt was ma- de to examine more closely the economic significance of the Schaffhausen chert deposits in the period between 4400 and 3800 BC. The main question was whether there was any evidence pointing to a division of labour in terms of the acquisition, distribution and working of the raw chert and whether conclusions could be drawn concerning the economic network in the High Rhine / Lake Constance region. The first step towards answering these questions was to compile a systematic record of the natural chert deposits within the region. This inventory served as a basis for an advanced micropalaeontological study which aimed to characterise the individual raw materials. The insight gained made it possible to precisely identify the conditions under which the individual chert nodules had been deposited and to reconstruct and create a model for the palaeogeography of the region during the Upper Malm. This in turn enabled us to associate rather precisely the archaeological finds with particular raw material deposits. At the same time the archaeological finds recovered from the three Schaffhausen sites were critically evaluated, typologically studied and technologically analysed. This study revealed that although their composition had significantly changed due to various external factors they were very similar in many ways. It is therefore highly likely that the three assemblages were the products of the same technological cultural tradition. The microfacial analysis of a random sample of chert artefacts from various lakeside settlements of the Hornstaad Group in the Lake Constance region showed that these settlements’ basic chert requirements were almost completely met by regional deposits. Raw material imported from further afield was extraordinarily rare and may not have been directly linked to the basic requirements of the settlements. This in turn is evidence in support of the hypothesis that the lakeside settlements studied could easily be supplied with chert from regional deposits without having to acquire more flint and chert from far-away deposits in order to satisfy the demand for raw materials.
Extending over approximately eight hectares, the site Büttenhardt-Zelg played a prominent role in the supply of raw material to the surrounding areas, as this was an unusually large activity area, the size of which was many times greater than that of the lakeside settlements at the time. It is quite likely that the location, regardless of its remoteness, once served as a regional centre. As the micropalaeontological raw material analysis revealed, the chert nodules had been transported from various outcrops to Büttenhardt-Zelg, where they had been skilfully broken down and then some of the flakes fashioned into tools. Based on the composition of the chert assemblage, it was concluded that the higher-quality flakes were passed on to third parties. A direct comparison between the chert assemblages from the Schaffhausen sites and those from the contemporary lakeside settlements on Lake Constance in fact supports this theory, since cores are considerably underrepresented in the latter. Various clues suggest that the working of the chert material took place in stages and that mainly blanks and prefabricated tools were passed on to the inhabitants of the lakeside settlements and only rarely raw material. The archaeological findings therefore clearly point to some form of division of labour, the details of which, however, are not yet clear. This result is of great interest because a recent study carried out at Hornstaad-Hörnle IA, one of the wetland settlements in the region, was able to show that there had been a division of labour in the jewellery making process there. A prerequisite for the manufacture of beads was the fabrication of the drills required, which would therefore represent the start of the production chain. In order to understand the palaeoeconomic conditions of the Neolithic distribution systems it is of particular interest to take a closer look at the unique borderline situation that existed between the cultural areas of the Hornstaad Group with its Danubian influences and the Cortaillod Culture with its orientation towards the western Mediterranean. The analyses currently available have shown that this border situation between the High Rhine and Lake Zurich regions must have had a significant influence on the geographical distribution of the raw chert material extracted from the natural deposits in both cultural areas. Accordingly, only a very small number of chert artefacts from the region of the Cortaillod Culture found their way to Lake Constance. The same phenomenon can be observed in the opposite direction. This can only be explained by the hypothesis that the passing on of regional raw chert material must have been to a great extent socially motivated (‘ce- remonial exchange of goods’) and that cultural aspects apparently were a particularly important part of this. At the same time, the hypothesis refutes a commercial background to the exchange of raw materials (‘for-profit trade’). It still remains unclear what role goods imported over great distances (shells, display axes, exogenous flint and chert artefacts, copper tools etc.) played in this system. These individual items may have been exchanged through completely different networks. Such imports transported over many hundreds of kilometres are nevertheless outstanding pieces of evidence for the far-reaching communication networks that existed in the early stages of the Late Neolithic, and in some ways stood in contrast to the more regionally orientated supply lines for the indigenous chert material.
Le site de Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon a été découvert en bordure
sud du cône alluvial de la Sionne... more Le site de Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon a été découvert en bordure sud du cône alluvial de la Sionne, à la faveur de la construction d’un immeuble d’habitations et de commerces. Les vestiges mis au jour montrent que les lieux ont été fréquentés à plusieurs reprises entre le Néolithique et la période antique. Les restes les plus significatifs sont représentés par cinq sépultures en ciste, que les datations radiocarbone situent dans le dernier tiers du 5ième millénaire avant notre ère. Quatre coffres étaient groupés dans la partie sud-est de l’emprise du chantier. Le cinquième était isolé, à quelques dizaines de mètres à l’ouest du groupe. Cet ensemble présente les caractères spécifiques des sépultures de type Chamblandes et vient s’ajouter à la dizaine d’ensembles funéraires connus à Sion et dans les alentours. Par leurs caractéristiques et leur excellente conservation, les sépultures de Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon contribuent de manière significative à une meilleure compréhension du phénomène Chamblandes en Valais. Die Fundstelle Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon wurde beim Bau eines Hochhauses am Südrand des Schwemmkegels der Sionne entdeckt. Die freigelegten Überreste zeigen, dass der Ort zwischen Neolithikum und Antike mehrmals aufgesucht wurde. Zu den bedeutendsten Funden zählen fünf Grabkisten, die durch 14C-Datierungen in das letzte Drittel des 5. Jahrtausends v. Chr. datiert werden können. Vier Grabkisten waren im südöstlichen Teil des untersuchten Areals gruppiert. Die fünfte stand isoliert westlich der Gruppe. Dieser Komplex weist die spezifischen Merkmale der Gräber vom Typ Chamblandes auf und kommt zu den zehn bekannten Gräberkomplexen in Sitten und Umgebung hinzu. Aufgrund ihrer Merkmale und ihrer ausgezeichneten Erhaltung tragen die Gräber von Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon wesentlich zu einem besseren Verständnis des Chamblandes-Phänomens im Wallis bei.
While updating and digitalising the site inventory of the canton of Graubünden, two hitherto unp... more While updating and digitalising the site inventory of the canton of Graubünden, two hitherto unpublished flint assemblages from Rothenbrunnen-Hochjuvalt and Paspels-Canova in the Domleschg were noticed. Both were discovered in the 1860s and subsequently in written sources variously mentioned and also swapped. A careful reworking of the research history, as well as the technological and morphological analysis allow a clear separation of the two assemblages. Based upon cultural historical comparisons, they can easily be designated as depositions. The assemblage from Paspels-Canova, consisting of two blades of raw material from the Monti Lessini (prov. Verona / I) and a radiolarite blade of an unknown origin, can be dated with a high probability to the Late Neolithic. The depot can certainly be seen in the context of the transalpine transport of such blades, whereby the precise reasons for the deposition remain unclear. One possibility could be a placement at a prominent location in the mental map of the prehistoric people, especially since the site of the deposition, when coming from the south, lies close to the final two, only with difficulty passable gorges on the way to the Alpine Rhine Valley. On the other hand, the assemblage from Rothenbrunnen-Hochjuvalt, comprising two blades of flint from Świeciechów-Lasek (woj. lubelskie / PL), cannot be dated with precision. The most plausible theory to us seems that the deposition occurred within the Late Medieval to Modern river barrage during the historical period by soldiers who had brought the finds from Eastern Europe, e. g. during the Revolt of the Leagues (1620-1637) or the so-called Helvetic Republic (1798-1802).
Seit der frühen Menschheitsgeschichte prägen Werkstoffe unsern Alltag. Hatten sich unsere frühest... more Seit der frühen Menschheitsgeschichte prägen Werkstoffe unsern Alltag. Hatten sich unsere frühesten Vorfahren zunächst noch mit einfachsten Hilfsmitteln aus der Natur versorgt, so lernten ihre Nachkommen im Laufe der Jahrhunderttausende, die vielfältigen Werkstoffeigenschaften mancher Naturmaterialien immer besser zu ihrem Vorteil zu nutzen. In der Folge entwickelten sie daraus ständig neue und optimaler an die täglichen Bedürfnisse angepasste Werkzeuge. Je differenzierter die Geräte im Laufe der Zeit wurden, desto höher wurden auch die Ansprüche an die verwendeten Materialien, was mit einer immer aufwändigeren Beschaffung einherging.
In this study, the path of the raw material silicite (cf. flint/chert etc.) from its extraction i... more In this study, the path of the raw material silicite (cf. flint/chert etc.) from its extraction in the mine to its disposal is analysed in detail. On the basis of over 32,000 archaeological finds and with the inclusion of various integrative investigation methods, the question of whether the archaeological data provides evidence of production processes based on the division of labour is investigated. In combination with archaeological and ethnographic comparative data, the data collected in this way is used as a basis for the reconstruction of prehistoric supply networks and the social structures of the time. The result is a picture of a Neolithic society in the northern foothills of the Alps that was organised in part by the division of labour, widely networked and highly adaptable.
The remains of an Early and Middle Neolithic settlement were examined in an area of over 3000 m2 ... more The remains of an Early and Middle Neolithic settlement were examined in an area of over 3000 m2 on the western edge of Gächlingen from 2001 to 2006. The site was severely threatened by modern agriculture and yielded the first ever settlement features from the Linearbandkeramik Culture found on Swiss soil. Though the structures were badly damaged by erosion and crop farming, the remains of at least 23 Neolithic buildings were uncovered. Unfortunately, the settlement history could only be partially reconstructed because many of the features had been so severely damaged during the long history of settlement and as a result of erosion, modern farming and bioturbation. This had also led to considerable commingling of the pit assemblages, which meant that it was not possible to build a detailed reconstruction of the settlement’s development.
The excavations carried out so far have only uncovered a small section of the area that was originally covered by the prehistoric settlement. The surface finds that were scattered around the excavated trenches suggested that many more archaeological features must still be hidden below ground, which may yet change the current picture we have of the Neolithic settlement at Gächlingen. Judging by the Early Neolithic pottery, Gächlingen was one of the earliest examples of a farming settlement in the High Rhine area. The decorations and fabric of the Linearbandkeramik pottery suggest that the settlers had moved to Gächlingen from the River Neckar region. It is not yet clear if the indigenous people they encountered upon their arrival had already adopted the Neolithic lifestyle or whether they were still Late Mesolithic hunters and gatherers.
A collection of sherds that belonged to the western European pottery tradition is of particular interest. It finds its closest parallels in the pottery of the La Hoguette type, but clearly sets itself apart, mainly by virtue of its rather peculiar decorative style. Its relative-chronological position as compared to Linearbandkeramik ware must remain open for the time being because of the problems with the archaeological context at Gächlingen. Analyses of clay samples, however, did at least show that the pottery had been made from local materials and that therefore it had not been imported in the context of cultural contacts.
Whilst unfortunately we cannot make any statements about the economy (crop farming, animal husbandry) of the Gächlingen farming community because of the poor preservation conditions for organic materials, geoarchaeological examinations of soil columns showed that the Early Neolithic soils in the Klettgau region had probably not been overly fertile. It would therefore have required a significant effort on the part of the settlers to produce a good yield.
Numerous lithic artefacts recovered from the site provided a rare glimpse into how the natural resources that were available in the region had been used at the time. This allowed us to make a detailed reconstruction of the use of flint deposits available in the region. Thanks to extensive geological surveys carried out on site and subsequent microfacial analyses it was possible to localise and characterise the individual deposits quite closely. We were also able to almost completely reconstruct the chaîne opératoire of flint production. The most striking insight was that the Gächlingen farming community had obviously used various deposits and had worked the raw materials using techniques specifically modified to suit the local flint. Another very interesting discovery was that raw materials from deposits south of the River Rhine had been processed at Gächlingen, which suggests that there were functioning communication networks in the region. The evidence also suggested that surplus was produced at the site, which could have been supplied to neighbouring regions.
The analysis of the rock artefacts yielded interesting information. The raw material used to make the axe blades, for instance, does not appear to have been sourced locally. The closest deposits were located in the Hegau region (basalt) and in the southern Black Forest area (so-called knotenschiefer or nodular shale). Other materials may have been brought to Gächlingen from even further afield. The raw materials used to make querns or grinding stones, on the other hand, came from local natural deposits, from the area around Schleitheim and the neighbouring Wutach Valley, just under 5 km from the site as the crow flies. Unworked quernstone blanks found at the settlement suggest that large stones had been brought to the site as raw or half-finished objects which were then further worked on site to create serviceable implements.
Numerous pieces of evidence suggested that Gächlingen must have played an important role within the Early Neolithic regional settlement landscape; the site may even have served as a central place. Besides the Linearbandkeramik settlement traces, remains of Middle Neolithic, Urnfield-period, La Tène-period, Roman and early medieval settlements also came to light on the western edge of Gächlingen. Certain sherds could also point to the presence of a Late Neolithic settlement.
The intensive settlement activity on site shows that over the course of several thousand years Gächlingen was one of the most favoured places to settle in the region and that the choice of location for the first settlement had obviously not been a coincidence. Although it was not possible due to the poor preservation conditions to answer numerous questions regarding the chronology and history of the settlement, the finds and features from Gächlingen have nevertheless allowed us to gain considerable new insight into the lifestyle of the earliest farmers in the High Rhine region. A completely new light has thus been shone on the Neolithisation of the northern foothills of the Alps. Future discoveries and research will complete this rather sketchy picture and extend the chapter on the changeover from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one of sedentary farming with the addition of numerous important aspects as yet unknown.
Flint and chert are non-detrital siliceous rocks with a conchoidal fracture and were some of the ... more Flint and chert are non-detrital siliceous rocks with a conchoidal fracture and were some of the most important raw materials used by Stone Age people. In the greater Schaffhausen area the earliest archaeological evidence of the use of these raw materials dates back to the Late Palaeolithic (Magdalenian). Chert artefacts are also frequently found in Neolithic settlements throughout the region. Although the archaeological excavations in Canton Schaffhausen yielded a huge body of indigenous chert, hardly anything was known about the background of chert extraction and its circulation mechanisms. Based on three Late Neolithic open air sites that had yielded above-average amounts of knapped chert, an attempt was ma- de to examine more closely the economic significance of the Schaffhausen chert deposits in the period between 4400 and 3800 BC. The main question was whether there was any evidence pointing to a division of labour in terms of the acquisition, distribution and working of the raw chert and whether conclusions could be drawn concerning the economic network in the High Rhine / Lake Constance region. The first step towards answering these questions was to compile a systematic record of the natural chert deposits within the region. This inventory served as a basis for an advanced micropalaeontological study which aimed to characterise the individual raw materials. The insight gained made it possible to precisely identify the conditions under which the individual chert nodules had been deposited and to reconstruct and create a model for the palaeogeography of the region during the Upper Malm. This in turn enabled us to associate rather precisely the archaeological finds with particular raw material deposits. At the same time the archaeological finds recovered from the three Schaffhausen sites were critically evaluated, typologically studied and technologically analysed. This study revealed that although their composition had significantly changed due to various external factors they were very similar in many ways. It is therefore highly likely that the three assemblages were the products of the same technological cultural tradition. The microfacial analysis of a random sample of chert artefacts from various lakeside settlements of the Hornstaad Group in the Lake Constance region showed that these settlements’ basic chert requirements were almost completely met by regional deposits. Raw material imported from further afield was extraordinarily rare and may not have been directly linked to the basic requirements of the settlements. This in turn is evidence in support of the hypothesis that the lakeside settlements studied could easily be supplied with chert from regional deposits without having to acquire more flint and chert from far-away deposits in order to satisfy the demand for raw materials.
Extending over approximately eight hectares, the site Büttenhardt-Zelg played a prominent role in the supply of raw material to the surrounding areas, as this was an unusually large activity area, the size of which was many times greater than that of the lakeside settlements at the time. It is quite likely that the location, regardless of its remoteness, once served as a regional centre. As the micropalaeontological raw material analysis revealed, the chert nodules had been transported from various outcrops to Büttenhardt-Zelg, where they had been skilfully broken down and then some of the flakes fashioned into tools. Based on the composition of the chert assemblage, it was concluded that the higher-quality flakes were passed on to third parties. A direct comparison between the chert assemblages from the Schaffhausen sites and those from the contemporary lakeside settlements on Lake Constance in fact supports this theory, since cores are considerably underrepresented in the latter. Various clues suggest that the working of the chert material took place in stages and that mainly blanks and prefabricated tools were passed on to the inhabitants of the lakeside settlements and only rarely raw material. The archaeological findings therefore clearly point to some form of division of labour, the details of which, however, are not yet clear. This result is of great interest because a recent study carried out at Hornstaad-Hörnle IA, one of the wetland settlements in the region, was able to show that there had been a division of labour in the jewellery making process there. A prerequisite for the manufacture of beads was the fabrication of the drills required, which would therefore represent the start of the production chain. In order to understand the palaeoeconomic conditions of the Neolithic distribution systems it is of particular interest to take a closer look at the unique borderline situation that existed between the cultural areas of the Hornstaad Group with its Danubian influences and the Cortaillod Culture with its orientation towards the western Mediterranean. The analyses currently available have shown that this border situation between the High Rhine and Lake Zurich regions must have had a significant influence on the geographical distribution of the raw chert material extracted from the natural deposits in both cultural areas. Accordingly, only a very small number of chert artefacts from the region of the Cortaillod Culture found their way to Lake Constance. The same phenomenon can be observed in the opposite direction. This can only be explained by the hypothesis that the passing on of regional raw chert material must have been to a great extent socially motivated (‘ce- remonial exchange of goods’) and that cultural aspects apparently were a particularly important part of this. At the same time, the hypothesis refutes a commercial background to the exchange of raw materials (‘for-profit trade’). It still remains unclear what role goods imported over great distances (shells, display axes, exogenous flint and chert artefacts, copper tools etc.) played in this system. These individual items may have been exchanged through completely different networks. Such imports transported over many hundreds of kilometres are nevertheless outstanding pieces of evidence for the far-reaching communication networks that existed in the early stages of the Late Neolithic, and in some ways stood in contrast to the more regionally orientated supply lines for the indigenous chert material.
Archaeological research of the area around Lake Pfäffikon is closely linked to the Zurich Oberla... more Archaeological research of the area around Lake Pfäffikon is closely linked to the Zurich Oberland farmer Jakob Messikommer (1828–1917). The son of ordinary farming folk, he was brought up in Wetzikon and showed a keen interest in history and the natural sciences from an early age. His discovery of an important wetland settlement in the peat bog at Robenhausen (1858) laid the foundation for an unequalled career in research, which culminated in Messikommer being awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Zurich in 1893. His archaeological and research historical legacy is in many respects a treasure trove, which is second to none. Firstly, the old documents contain innumerable details about his excavations and, secondly, the research historical environment of the ‘pile-dwelling researcher’ and ‘antiquary’ can be reconstructed in extraordinary detail. Both of these facts make Jakob Messikommer’s estate one of the most important in terms of its scientific value.
Wetzikon-Robenhausen
The core of this publication is the analysis of the excavation records and finds from the wetland settlements at Wetzikon-Robenhausen. These were explored by Messikommer in a series of excavations spanning almost sixty years and presented to a worldwide audience in numerous publications. Not only did he tirelessly monitor the alterations to the course of the River Aa, thus preserving a multitude of important finds for posterity, but he also made a significant contribution towards the establishment of the neighbouring disciplines archaeozoology and archaeobotany by consistently recovering biological remains. Numerous written documents provide a unique opportunity to reconstruct Messikommer’s excavations in Robenhausen. In so doing, we were able to associate many outstanding finds with particular excavation campaigns and thus with certain locations so that old finds have regained a certain degree of archaeological context, which was thought to have been lost. Messikommer’s commercial activities with all aspects of conserving and networking could also be reconstructed in an extraordinarily detailed manner. This means that the finds which were sold to museums here and abroad in order to fund the excavations can be viewed in a different light today. The finds from the 19th century excavations now play a completely different role as carriers of research historical and conservational information. Thanks to the various data collected in the context of a site inventory compiled in the 1990s, it was possible to compare some of Messikommer’s findings with newly gathered field data. This comparison revealed that his records were very reliable and are indeed suitable as starting points for future research endeavours. This compatibility between the old and the new excavation data is all the more surprising, given the great complexity of the stratigraphy in Robenhausen due to the outstanding state of preservation of the organic components within the layers. We were able to reconstruct a rough image of the settlement sequence based on the old excavation records, the data and the old finds. The earliest deposits dated from the Early Pfyn Culture. These were followed by settlement remains from the Middle and Late Pfyn Cultures, the Horgen Culture, the Corded Ware period and finally the Early and Late Bronze Ages. This settlement sequence is partially supported by radiocarbon and dendrochronological dates. An assemblage of loom weights recorded in situ is particularly worth noting. It was found in 1999 in a burnt layer associated with almost 30 textile fragments. It is quite likely that this was a Pfyn-period weaving frame, which had been destroyed during a conflagration and had collapsed on top of a multitude of finished and half-finished textile products. Various archaeological and archaeobotanical features indicated that a surplus of textiles may have possibly been produced in the Pfyn Culture. Several separate accumulations of wild animal bones (aurochs, European bison, badger, marten, hedgehog, deer) point to a hitherto rarely documented kind of waste disposal in the Pfyn Culture. Particularly noteworthy were two features with aurochs and European bison bones, as they were found in association with human skull remains. The rich assemblage of finds represented the entire known range of organic and inorganic remains usually found in Northern Alpine wetland settlements. Outstanding finds were Pfyn-period crucibles, numerous perforated axes made of rock, axes made of antler as well as wooden artefacts, including several unique implements. A large number of textile finds from the earlier excavations were also of immense importance.
Wetzikon-Himmerich
This wetland settlement on the southern shore of Lake Pfäffikon was discovered by Jakob Messikommer in the late 1850s and has become known in research circles thanks to a small assemblage of Middle Neolithic potsherds. Apart from these, hardly any relevant information about the site has been presented up to now. Gathered up in the 19th and 20th centuries, many of the finds are not easily accessible, which means that they can only be presented in a summarising overview. The assemblage includes artefacts from the Middle Neolithic Grossgartach group, the Cortaillod and Horgen Cultures as well as from the Late Bronze Age. Some rather undiagnostic shards may point to a Pfyn-period settlement. In addition, a small number of Roman finds represent the use of the locality in late antiquity.
The area around Lake Pfäffikon
Besides finds from the wetland settlements of Wetzikon-Robenhausen and Wetzikon-Himmerich, individual finds from other areas around Lake Pfäffikon have been presented and put side by side for the first time. In so doing, questions regarding the structure and organisation of the settlement landscape were raised and put into context with the body of information currently available.
Im Verlauf der rund 60-jährigen Forschungstätigkeit in der ausgedehnten Bucht von Meilen-Schellen... more Im Verlauf der rund 60-jährigen Forschungstätigkeit in der ausgedehnten Bucht von Meilen-Schellen wurde eine Fülle an Funden und Informationen zur Besiedlungsgeschichte dieser Örtlichkeit zusammengetragen, die es im Rahmen der Auswertungsarbeiten zu sichten und zu bewerten galt. Soweit sich anhand der bisherigen Funde abschätzen lässt, reicht die Siedlungstätigkeit bis ins 5. Jahrtausend v.Chr. zurück und bricht im 9. Jahrhundert v.Chr. endgültig ab. Neben dem Nachweis mehrerer schnurkeramischer und spätbronzezeitlicher Hausgrundrisse hat die Befundauswertung vor allem wichtige Erkenntnisse zum Siedlungsgeschehen in der Bucht erbracht. Sie zeigte aber gleichwohl die Grenzen und Aussagemöglichkeiten alter Grabungsdokumentationen auf.
Bei der Auswertung der reichhaltigen Funde bildete vor allem die Auswertung der pfynzeitlichen Silices einen Schwerpunkt dieser Publikation. Dabei standen Fragen der Rohstoffversorgung und -nutzung im Zentrum. Einen profunden Einblick in die metallurgischen Kenntnisse jener Zeit gestattet die Auswertung des umfangreichen jungneolithischen Gusstiegelensembles, das in seiner Art bisher einzigartig ist. Zusammen mit der Auswertung der Silices wirft die Auswertung der Gusstiegel grundlegende Fragen zum Kommunikationsnetz der jungneolithischen Gesellschaft auf und regt zu einer noch differenzierteren Betrachtungsweise von deren Wirtschaftsgefüge an.
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sud du cône alluvial de la Sionne, à la faveur de la construction
d’un immeuble d’habitations et de commerces. Les vestiges mis au
jour montrent que les lieux ont été fréquentés à plusieurs reprises
entre le Néolithique et la période antique. Les restes les plus significatifs
sont représentés par cinq sépultures en ciste, que les datations
radiocarbone situent dans le dernier tiers du 5ième millénaire avant
notre ère. Quatre coffres étaient groupés dans la partie sud-est de
l’emprise du chantier. Le cinquième était isolé, à quelques dizaines
de mètres à l’ouest du groupe. Cet ensemble présente les caractères
spécifiques des sépultures de type Chamblandes et vient s’ajouter à
la dizaine d’ensembles funéraires connus à Sion et dans les alentours.
Par leurs caractéristiques et leur excellente conservation, les
sépultures de Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon contribuent de manière
significative à une meilleure compréhension du phénomène Chamblandes
en Valais.
Die Fundstelle Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon wurde beim Bau eines
Hochhauses am Südrand des Schwemmkegels der Sionne entdeckt.
Die freigelegten Überreste zeigen, dass der Ort zwischen
Neolithikum und Antike mehrmals aufgesucht wurde. Zu den
bedeutendsten Funden zählen fünf Grabkisten, die durch 14C-Datierungen
in das letzte Drittel des 5. Jahrtausends v. Chr. datiert
werden können. Vier Grabkisten waren im südöstlichen Teil des
untersuchten Areals gruppiert. Die fünfte stand isoliert westlich
der Gruppe. Dieser Komplex weist die spezifischen Merkmale der
Gräber vom Typ Chamblandes auf und kommt zu den zehn bekannten
Gräberkomplexen in Sitten und Umgebung hinzu. Aufgrund
ihrer Merkmale und ihrer ausgezeichneten Erhaltung tragen
die Gräber von Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon wesentlich zu einem
besseren Verständnis des Chamblandes-Phänomens im Wallis bei.
from Rothenbrunnen-Hochjuvalt and Paspels-Canova in the Domleschg were noticed. Both were discovered
in the 1860s and subsequently in written sources variously mentioned and also swapped. A careful reworking of the
research history, as well as the technological and morphological analysis allow a clear separation of the two assemblages.
Based upon cultural historical comparisons, they can easily be designated as depositions. The assemblage from
Paspels-Canova, consisting of two blades of raw material from the Monti Lessini (prov. Verona / I) and a radiolarite blade
of an unknown origin, can be dated with a high probability to the Late Neolithic. The depot can certainly be seen in
the context of the transalpine transport of such blades, whereby the precise reasons for the deposition remain unclear.
One possibility could be a placement at a prominent location in the mental map of the prehistoric people, especially
since the site of the deposition, when coming from the south, lies close to the final two, only with difficulty passable
gorges on the way to the Alpine Rhine Valley. On the other hand, the assemblage from Rothenbrunnen-Hochjuvalt,
comprising two blades of flint from Świeciechów-Lasek (woj. lubelskie / PL), cannot be dated with precision. The most
plausible theory to us seems that the deposition occurred within the Late Medieval to Modern river barrage during the
historical period by soldiers who had brought the finds from Eastern Europe, e. g. during the Revolt of the Leagues
(1620-1637) or the so-called Helvetic Republic (1798-1802).
Books by Kurt Altorfer
Though the structures were badly damaged by erosion and crop farming, the remains of at least 23 Neolithic buildings were uncovered. Unfortunately, the settlement history could only be partially reconstructed because many of the features had been so severely damaged during the long history of settlement and as a result of erosion, modern farming and bioturbation. This had also led to considerable commingling of the pit assemblages, which meant that it was not possible to build a detailed reconstruction of the settlement’s development.
The excavations carried out so far have only uncovered a small section of the area that was originally covered by the prehistoric settlement. The surface finds that were scattered around the excavated trenches suggested that many more archaeological features must still be hidden below ground, which may yet change the current picture we have of the Neolithic settlement at Gächlingen.
Judging by the Early Neolithic pottery, Gächlingen was one of the earliest examples of a farming settlement in the High Rhine area. The decorations and fabric of the Linearbandkeramik pottery suggest that the settlers had moved to Gächlingen from the River Neckar region. It is not yet clear if the indigenous people they encountered upon their arrival had already adopted the Neolithic lifestyle or whether they were still Late Mesolithic hunters and gatherers.
A collection of sherds that belonged to the western European pottery tradition is of particular interest. It finds its closest parallels in the pottery of the La Hoguette type, but clearly sets itself apart, mainly by virtue of its rather peculiar decorative style. Its relative-chronological position as compared to Linearbandkeramik ware must remain open for the time being because of the problems with the archaeological context at Gächlingen. Analyses of clay samples, however, did at least show that the pottery had been made from local materials and that therefore it had not been imported in the context of cultural contacts.
Whilst unfortunately we cannot make any statements about the economy (crop farming, animal husbandry) of the Gächlingen farming community because of the poor preservation conditions for organic materials, geoarchaeological examinations of soil columns showed that the Early Neolithic soils in the Klettgau region had probably not been overly fertile. It would therefore have required a significant effort on the part of the settlers to produce a good yield.
Numerous lithic artefacts recovered from the site provided a rare glimpse into how the natural resources that were available in the region had been used at the time. This allowed us to make a detailed reconstruction of the use of flint deposits available in the region. Thanks to extensive geological surveys carried out on site and subsequent microfacial analyses it was possible to localise and characterise the individual deposits quite closely. We were also able to almost completely reconstruct the chaîne opératoire of flint production. The most striking insight was that the Gächlingen farming community had obviously used various deposits and had worked the raw materials using techniques specifically modified to suit the local flint. Another very interesting discovery was that raw materials from deposits south of the River Rhine had been processed at Gächlingen, which suggests that there were functioning communication networks in the region. The evidence also suggested that surplus was produced at the site, which could have been supplied to neighbouring regions.
The analysis of the rock artefacts yielded interesting information. The raw material used to make the axe blades, for instance, does not appear to have been sourced locally. The closest deposits were located in the Hegau region (basalt) and in the southern Black Forest area (so-called knotenschiefer or nodular shale). Other materials may have been brought to Gächlingen from even further afield. The raw materials used to make querns or grinding stones, on the other hand, came from local natural deposits, from the area around Schleitheim and the neighbouring Wutach Valley, just under 5 km from the site as the crow flies. Unworked quernstone blanks found at the settlement suggest that large stones had been brought to the site as raw or half-finished objects which were then further worked on site to create serviceable implements.
Numerous pieces of evidence suggested that Gächlingen must have played an important role within the Early Neolithic regional settlement landscape; the site may even have served as a central place. Besides the Linearbandkeramik settlement traces, remains of Middle Neolithic, Urnfield-period, La Tène-period, Roman and early medieval settlements also came to light on the western edge of Gächlingen. Certain sherds could also point to the presence of a Late Neolithic settlement.
The intensive settlement activity on site shows that over the course of several thousand years Gächlingen was one of the most favoured places to settle in the region and that the choice of location for the first settlement had obviously not been a coincidence. Although it was not possible due to the poor preservation conditions to answer numerous questions regarding the chronology and history of the settlement, the finds and features from Gächlingen have nevertheless allowed us to gain considerable new insight into the lifestyle of the earliest farmers in the High Rhine region. A completely new light has thus been shone on the Neolithisation of the northern foothills of the Alps. Future discoveries and research will complete this rather sketchy picture and extend the chapter on the changeover from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one of sedentary farming with the addition of numerous important aspects as yet unknown.
The first step towards answering these questions was to compile a systematic record of the natural chert deposits within the region. This inventory served as a basis for an advanced micropalaeontological study which aimed to characterise the individual raw materials. The insight gained made it possible to precisely identify the conditions under which the individual chert nodules had been deposited and to reconstruct and create a model for the palaeogeography of the region during the Upper Malm. This in turn enabled us to associate rather precisely the archaeological finds with particular raw material deposits.
At the same time the archaeological finds recovered from the three Schaffhausen sites were critically evaluated, typologically studied and technologically analysed. This study revealed that although their composition had significantly changed due to various external factors they were very similar in many ways. It is therefore highly likely that the three assemblages were the products of the same technological cultural tradition.
The microfacial analysis of a random sample of chert artefacts from various lakeside settlements of the Hornstaad Group in the Lake Constance region showed that these settlements’ basic chert requirements were almost completely met by regional deposits. Raw material imported from further afield was extraordinarily rare and may not have been directly linked to the basic requirements of the settlements. This in turn is evidence in support of the hypothesis that the lakeside settlements studied could easily be supplied with chert from regional deposits without having to acquire more flint and chert from far-away deposits in order to satisfy the demand for raw materials.
Extending over approximately eight hectares, the site Büttenhardt-Zelg played a prominent role in the supply of raw material to the surrounding areas, as this was an unusually large activity area, the size of which was many times greater than that of the lakeside settlements at the time. It is quite likely that the location, regardless of its remoteness, once served as a regional centre. As the micropalaeontological raw material analysis revealed, the chert nodules had been transported from various outcrops to Büttenhardt-Zelg, where they had been skilfully broken down and then some of the flakes fashioned into tools. Based on the composition of the chert assemblage, it was concluded that the higher-quality flakes were passed on to third parties. A direct comparison between the chert assemblages from the Schaffhausen sites and those from the contemporary lakeside settlements on Lake Constance in fact supports this theory, since cores are considerably underrepresented in the latter. Various clues suggest that the working of the chert material took place in stages and that mainly blanks and prefabricated tools were passed on to the inhabitants of the lakeside settlements and only rarely raw material. The archaeological findings therefore clearly point to some form of division of labour, the details of which, however, are not yet clear. This result is of great interest because a recent study carried out at Hornstaad-Hörnle IA, one of the wetland settlements in the region, was able to show that there had been a division of labour in the jewellery making process there. A prerequisite for the manufacture of beads was the fabrication of the drills required, which would therefore represent the start of the production chain.
In order to understand the palaeoeconomic conditions of the Neolithic distribution systems it is of particular interest to take a closer look at the unique borderline situation that existed between the cultural areas of the Hornstaad Group with its Danubian influences and the Cortaillod Culture with its orientation towards the western Mediterranean. The analyses currently available have shown that this border situation between the High Rhine and Lake Zurich regions must have had a significant influence on the geographical distribution of the raw chert material extracted from the natural deposits in both cultural areas. Accordingly, only a very small number of chert artefacts from the region of the Cortaillod Culture found their way to Lake Constance. The same phenomenon can be observed in the opposite direction. This can only be explained by the hypothesis that the passing on of regional raw chert material must have been to a great extent socially motivated (‘ce- remonial exchange of goods’) and that cultural aspects apparently were a particularly important part of this. At the same time, the hypothesis refutes a commercial background to the exchange of raw materials (‘for-profit trade’). It still remains unclear what role goods imported over great distances (shells, display axes, exogenous flint and chert artefacts, copper tools etc.) played in this system. These individual items may have been exchanged through completely different networks. Such imports transported over many hundreds of kilometres are nevertheless outstanding pieces of evidence for the far-reaching communication networks that existed in the early stages of the Late Neolithic, and in some ways stood in contrast to the more regionally orientated supply lines for the indigenous chert material.
sud du cône alluvial de la Sionne, à la faveur de la construction
d’un immeuble d’habitations et de commerces. Les vestiges mis au
jour montrent que les lieux ont été fréquentés à plusieurs reprises
entre le Néolithique et la période antique. Les restes les plus significatifs
sont représentés par cinq sépultures en ciste, que les datations
radiocarbone situent dans le dernier tiers du 5ième millénaire avant
notre ère. Quatre coffres étaient groupés dans la partie sud-est de
l’emprise du chantier. Le cinquième était isolé, à quelques dizaines
de mètres à l’ouest du groupe. Cet ensemble présente les caractères
spécifiques des sépultures de type Chamblandes et vient s’ajouter à
la dizaine d’ensembles funéraires connus à Sion et dans les alentours.
Par leurs caractéristiques et leur excellente conservation, les
sépultures de Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon contribuent de manière
significative à une meilleure compréhension du phénomène Chamblandes
en Valais.
Die Fundstelle Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon wurde beim Bau eines
Hochhauses am Südrand des Schwemmkegels der Sionne entdeckt.
Die freigelegten Überreste zeigen, dass der Ort zwischen
Neolithikum und Antike mehrmals aufgesucht wurde. Zu den
bedeutendsten Funden zählen fünf Grabkisten, die durch 14C-Datierungen
in das letzte Drittel des 5. Jahrtausends v. Chr. datiert
werden können. Vier Grabkisten waren im südöstlichen Teil des
untersuchten Areals gruppiert. Die fünfte stand isoliert westlich
der Gruppe. Dieser Komplex weist die spezifischen Merkmale der
Gräber vom Typ Chamblandes auf und kommt zu den zehn bekannten
Gräberkomplexen in Sitten und Umgebung hinzu. Aufgrund
ihrer Merkmale und ihrer ausgezeichneten Erhaltung tragen
die Gräber von Sion-Avenue de Tourbillon wesentlich zu einem
besseren Verständnis des Chamblandes-Phänomens im Wallis bei.
from Rothenbrunnen-Hochjuvalt and Paspels-Canova in the Domleschg were noticed. Both were discovered
in the 1860s and subsequently in written sources variously mentioned and also swapped. A careful reworking of the
research history, as well as the technological and morphological analysis allow a clear separation of the two assemblages.
Based upon cultural historical comparisons, they can easily be designated as depositions. The assemblage from
Paspels-Canova, consisting of two blades of raw material from the Monti Lessini (prov. Verona / I) and a radiolarite blade
of an unknown origin, can be dated with a high probability to the Late Neolithic. The depot can certainly be seen in
the context of the transalpine transport of such blades, whereby the precise reasons for the deposition remain unclear.
One possibility could be a placement at a prominent location in the mental map of the prehistoric people, especially
since the site of the deposition, when coming from the south, lies close to the final two, only with difficulty passable
gorges on the way to the Alpine Rhine Valley. On the other hand, the assemblage from Rothenbrunnen-Hochjuvalt,
comprising two blades of flint from Świeciechów-Lasek (woj. lubelskie / PL), cannot be dated with precision. The most
plausible theory to us seems that the deposition occurred within the Late Medieval to Modern river barrage during the
historical period by soldiers who had brought the finds from Eastern Europe, e. g. during the Revolt of the Leagues
(1620-1637) or the so-called Helvetic Republic (1798-1802).
Though the structures were badly damaged by erosion and crop farming, the remains of at least 23 Neolithic buildings were uncovered. Unfortunately, the settlement history could only be partially reconstructed because many of the features had been so severely damaged during the long history of settlement and as a result of erosion, modern farming and bioturbation. This had also led to considerable commingling of the pit assemblages, which meant that it was not possible to build a detailed reconstruction of the settlement’s development.
The excavations carried out so far have only uncovered a small section of the area that was originally covered by the prehistoric settlement. The surface finds that were scattered around the excavated trenches suggested that many more archaeological features must still be hidden below ground, which may yet change the current picture we have of the Neolithic settlement at Gächlingen.
Judging by the Early Neolithic pottery, Gächlingen was one of the earliest examples of a farming settlement in the High Rhine area. The decorations and fabric of the Linearbandkeramik pottery suggest that the settlers had moved to Gächlingen from the River Neckar region. It is not yet clear if the indigenous people they encountered upon their arrival had already adopted the Neolithic lifestyle or whether they were still Late Mesolithic hunters and gatherers.
A collection of sherds that belonged to the western European pottery tradition is of particular interest. It finds its closest parallels in the pottery of the La Hoguette type, but clearly sets itself apart, mainly by virtue of its rather peculiar decorative style. Its relative-chronological position as compared to Linearbandkeramik ware must remain open for the time being because of the problems with the archaeological context at Gächlingen. Analyses of clay samples, however, did at least show that the pottery had been made from local materials and that therefore it had not been imported in the context of cultural contacts.
Whilst unfortunately we cannot make any statements about the economy (crop farming, animal husbandry) of the Gächlingen farming community because of the poor preservation conditions for organic materials, geoarchaeological examinations of soil columns showed that the Early Neolithic soils in the Klettgau region had probably not been overly fertile. It would therefore have required a significant effort on the part of the settlers to produce a good yield.
Numerous lithic artefacts recovered from the site provided a rare glimpse into how the natural resources that were available in the region had been used at the time. This allowed us to make a detailed reconstruction of the use of flint deposits available in the region. Thanks to extensive geological surveys carried out on site and subsequent microfacial analyses it was possible to localise and characterise the individual deposits quite closely. We were also able to almost completely reconstruct the chaîne opératoire of flint production. The most striking insight was that the Gächlingen farming community had obviously used various deposits and had worked the raw materials using techniques specifically modified to suit the local flint. Another very interesting discovery was that raw materials from deposits south of the River Rhine had been processed at Gächlingen, which suggests that there were functioning communication networks in the region. The evidence also suggested that surplus was produced at the site, which could have been supplied to neighbouring regions.
The analysis of the rock artefacts yielded interesting information. The raw material used to make the axe blades, for instance, does not appear to have been sourced locally. The closest deposits were located in the Hegau region (basalt) and in the southern Black Forest area (so-called knotenschiefer or nodular shale). Other materials may have been brought to Gächlingen from even further afield. The raw materials used to make querns or grinding stones, on the other hand, came from local natural deposits, from the area around Schleitheim and the neighbouring Wutach Valley, just under 5 km from the site as the crow flies. Unworked quernstone blanks found at the settlement suggest that large stones had been brought to the site as raw or half-finished objects which were then further worked on site to create serviceable implements.
Numerous pieces of evidence suggested that Gächlingen must have played an important role within the Early Neolithic regional settlement landscape; the site may even have served as a central place. Besides the Linearbandkeramik settlement traces, remains of Middle Neolithic, Urnfield-period, La Tène-period, Roman and early medieval settlements also came to light on the western edge of Gächlingen. Certain sherds could also point to the presence of a Late Neolithic settlement.
The intensive settlement activity on site shows that over the course of several thousand years Gächlingen was one of the most favoured places to settle in the region and that the choice of location for the first settlement had obviously not been a coincidence. Although it was not possible due to the poor preservation conditions to answer numerous questions regarding the chronology and history of the settlement, the finds and features from Gächlingen have nevertheless allowed us to gain considerable new insight into the lifestyle of the earliest farmers in the High Rhine region. A completely new light has thus been shone on the Neolithisation of the northern foothills of the Alps. Future discoveries and research will complete this rather sketchy picture and extend the chapter on the changeover from a hunter-gatherer lifestyle to one of sedentary farming with the addition of numerous important aspects as yet unknown.
The first step towards answering these questions was to compile a systematic record of the natural chert deposits within the region. This inventory served as a basis for an advanced micropalaeontological study which aimed to characterise the individual raw materials. The insight gained made it possible to precisely identify the conditions under which the individual chert nodules had been deposited and to reconstruct and create a model for the palaeogeography of the region during the Upper Malm. This in turn enabled us to associate rather precisely the archaeological finds with particular raw material deposits.
At the same time the archaeological finds recovered from the three Schaffhausen sites were critically evaluated, typologically studied and technologically analysed. This study revealed that although their composition had significantly changed due to various external factors they were very similar in many ways. It is therefore highly likely that the three assemblages were the products of the same technological cultural tradition.
The microfacial analysis of a random sample of chert artefacts from various lakeside settlements of the Hornstaad Group in the Lake Constance region showed that these settlements’ basic chert requirements were almost completely met by regional deposits. Raw material imported from further afield was extraordinarily rare and may not have been directly linked to the basic requirements of the settlements. This in turn is evidence in support of the hypothesis that the lakeside settlements studied could easily be supplied with chert from regional deposits without having to acquire more flint and chert from far-away deposits in order to satisfy the demand for raw materials.
Extending over approximately eight hectares, the site Büttenhardt-Zelg played a prominent role in the supply of raw material to the surrounding areas, as this was an unusually large activity area, the size of which was many times greater than that of the lakeside settlements at the time. It is quite likely that the location, regardless of its remoteness, once served as a regional centre. As the micropalaeontological raw material analysis revealed, the chert nodules had been transported from various outcrops to Büttenhardt-Zelg, where they had been skilfully broken down and then some of the flakes fashioned into tools. Based on the composition of the chert assemblage, it was concluded that the higher-quality flakes were passed on to third parties. A direct comparison between the chert assemblages from the Schaffhausen sites and those from the contemporary lakeside settlements on Lake Constance in fact supports this theory, since cores are considerably underrepresented in the latter. Various clues suggest that the working of the chert material took place in stages and that mainly blanks and prefabricated tools were passed on to the inhabitants of the lakeside settlements and only rarely raw material. The archaeological findings therefore clearly point to some form of division of labour, the details of which, however, are not yet clear. This result is of great interest because a recent study carried out at Hornstaad-Hörnle IA, one of the wetland settlements in the region, was able to show that there had been a division of labour in the jewellery making process there. A prerequisite for the manufacture of beads was the fabrication of the drills required, which would therefore represent the start of the production chain.
In order to understand the palaeoeconomic conditions of the Neolithic distribution systems it is of particular interest to take a closer look at the unique borderline situation that existed between the cultural areas of the Hornstaad Group with its Danubian influences and the Cortaillod Culture with its orientation towards the western Mediterranean. The analyses currently available have shown that this border situation between the High Rhine and Lake Zurich regions must have had a significant influence on the geographical distribution of the raw chert material extracted from the natural deposits in both cultural areas. Accordingly, only a very small number of chert artefacts from the region of the Cortaillod Culture found their way to Lake Constance. The same phenomenon can be observed in the opposite direction. This can only be explained by the hypothesis that the passing on of regional raw chert material must have been to a great extent socially motivated (‘ce- remonial exchange of goods’) and that cultural aspects apparently were a particularly important part of this. At the same time, the hypothesis refutes a commercial background to the exchange of raw materials (‘for-profit trade’). It still remains unclear what role goods imported over great distances (shells, display axes, exogenous flint and chert artefacts, copper tools etc.) played in this system. These individual items may have been exchanged through completely different networks. Such imports transported over many hundreds of kilometres are nevertheless outstanding pieces of evidence for the far-reaching communication networks that existed in the early stages of the Late Neolithic, and in some ways stood in contrast to the more regionally orientated supply lines for the indigenous chert material.
Wetzikon-Robenhausen
The core of this publication is the analysis of the excavation records and finds from the wetland settlements at Wetzikon-Robenhausen. These were explored by Messikommer in a series of excavations spanning almost sixty years and presented to a worldwide audience in numerous publications. Not only did he tirelessly monitor the alterations to the course of the River Aa, thus preserving a multitude of important finds for posterity, but he also made a significant contribution towards the establishment of the neighbouring disciplines archaeozoology and archaeobotany by consistently recovering biological remains.
Numerous written documents provide a unique opportunity to reconstruct Messikommer’s excavations in Robenhausen. In so doing, we were able to associate many outstanding finds with particular excavation campaigns and thus with certain locations so that old finds have regained a certain degree of archaeological context, which was thought to have been lost. Messikommer’s commercial activities with all aspects of conserving and networking could also be reconstructed in an extraordinarily detailed manner. This means that the finds which were sold to museums here and abroad in order to fund the excavations can be viewed in a different light today. The finds from the 19th century excavations now play a completely different role as carriers of research historical and conservational information.
Thanks to the various data collected in the context of a site inventory compiled in the 1990s, it was possible to compare some of Messikommer’s findings with newly gathered field data. This comparison revealed that his records were very reliable and are indeed suitable as starting points for future research endeavours. This compatibility between the old and the new excavation data is all the more surprising, given the great complexity of the stratigraphy in Robenhausen due to the outstanding state of preservation of the organic components within the layers. We were able to reconstruct a rough image of the settlement sequence based on the old excavation records, the data and the old finds. The earliest deposits dated from the Early Pfyn Culture. These were followed by settlement remains from the Middle and Late Pfyn Cultures, the Horgen Culture, the Corded Ware period and finally the Early and Late Bronze Ages. This settlement sequence is partially supported by radiocarbon and dendrochronological dates.
An assemblage of loom weights recorded in situ is particularly worth noting. It was found in 1999 in a burnt layer associated with almost 30 textile fragments. It is quite likely that this was a Pfyn-period weaving frame, which had been destroyed during a conflagration and had collapsed on top of a multitude of finished and half-finished textile products. Various archaeological and archaeobotanical features indicated that a surplus of textiles may have possibly been produced in the Pfyn Culture. Several separate accumulations of wild animal bones (aurochs, European bison, badger, marten, hedgehog, deer) point to a hitherto rarely documented kind of waste disposal in the Pfyn Culture. Particularly noteworthy were two features with aurochs and European bison bones, as they were found in association with human skull remains.
The rich assemblage of finds represented the entire known range of organic and inorganic remains usually found in Northern Alpine wetland settlements. Outstanding finds were Pfyn-period crucibles, numerous perforated axes made of rock, axes made of antler as well as wooden artefacts, including several unique implements. A large number of textile finds from the earlier excavations were also of immense importance.
Wetzikon-Himmerich
This wetland settlement on the southern shore of Lake Pfäffikon was discovered by Jakob Messikommer in the late 1850s and has become known in research circles thanks to a small assemblage of Middle Neolithic potsherds. Apart from these, hardly any relevant information about the site has been presented up to now. Gathered up in the 19th and 20th centuries, many of the finds are not easily accessible, which means that they can only be presented in a summarising overview. The assemblage includes artefacts from the Middle Neolithic Grossgartach group, the Cortaillod and Horgen Cultures as well as from the Late Bronze Age. Some rather undiagnostic shards may point to a Pfyn-period settlement. In addition, a small number of Roman finds represent the use of the locality in late antiquity.
The area around Lake Pfäffikon
Besides finds from the wetland settlements of Wetzikon-Robenhausen and Wetzikon-Himmerich, individual finds from other areas around Lake Pfäffikon have been presented and put side by side for the first time. In so doing, questions regarding the structure and organisation of the settlement landscape were raised and put into context with the body of information currently available.
Bei der Auswertung der reichhaltigen Funde bildete vor allem die Auswertung der pfynzeitlichen Silices einen Schwerpunkt dieser Publikation. Dabei standen Fragen der Rohstoffversorgung und -nutzung im Zentrum. Einen profunden Einblick in die metallurgischen Kenntnisse jener Zeit gestattet die Auswertung des umfangreichen jungneolithischen Gusstiegelensembles, das in seiner Art bisher einzigartig ist. Zusammen mit der Auswertung der Silices wirft die Auswertung der Gusstiegel grundlegende Fragen zum Kommunikationsnetz der jungneolithischen Gesellschaft auf und regt zu einer noch differenzierteren Betrachtungsweise von deren Wirtschaftsgefüge an.