Fascination World Heritage Kindly supported by: The Legacy of the Pile Dwellers Fascination World Heritage Accompanying Booklet for the Special Exhibit At the Lake Dwelling Museum Unteruhldingen, Germany Content The finds shown in this exhibit originate The Lake Dwelling Museum wishes to thank Perishables from the pile dwelling sites in wholeheartedly all of those lenders who have Preface ............................................................................ 4 Organics and things worth protecting .................. 26 generously made the objects available and who Austria have made this exhibit possible through their What did we inherit? Mysteries Attersee kind support: From whom did we inherit? ...................................... 8 There are still many open questions ...................... 30 Switzerland REM Reiss-Engelhorn-Museen, Mannheim Jewelry Original Auvernier, Corcelettes, Greng, Guévaux, Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte und A sense for beauty ...................................................... 10 or forgery? .....................................................................34 Lüscherz, Mörigen, Muntelier, Archäologie des Mittelalters (Institute of Gachnang-Niederwil, Estavayer, Vallamand, Prehistory and Early History) at the University Valuable Goods The World Heritage Vinelz, Wetzikon-Robenhausen of Tübingen Used and repaired ....................................................... 14 made visible ..................................................................37 MUT Museum of the University of Tübingen Germany Rosgartenmuseum, Konstanz House at the Lake Beginnings Aichbühl, Bad Buchau, Wasserburg Buchau, Museum Allerheiligen, Schaffhausen (CH) Great amounts of wood ............................................16 of the pile dwelling research ....................................42 Bodman, Dettingen, Dingelsdorf, Hagnau-Burg, Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Hornstaad, Konstanz-Hinterhausen, Litzelstetten, Baden-Württemberg Crockery Pile Dwelling Research Ludwigshafen, Mainau, Maurach, Meersburg- Kurt Altorfer, Zürich (CH) Functional objects and trendy design ....................22 in a time-lapse ............................................................ 44 Haltnau, Nußdorf, Oberuhldingen, Öhningen- Michael Fiebelmann, Überlingen Wangen, Riedschachen, Sipplingen-Osthafen, Herbert Gieß, Konstanz-Dingelsdorf An Idea Taubried, Unteruhldingen-Stollenwiesen, Elisabeth Müller, Uhldingen-Mühlhofen and its explorers ......................................................... 48 Wahlwies, Wallhausen Südwestrundfunk (SWR) Imprint ..........................................................................55 Italy Peschiera 02 | 03 Preface to the exhibit The Lake Dwelling Museum is committed to On 5 hectares of ground, in 23 pole houses of the communicate the knowledge and understanding Stone and Bronze Age, and an extensive outdoor Oberschwaben about the pile dwellings and their inhabitants area, the life of the pile dwellers is vividly com- Salzkammergut Oberbayern to the public. The museum’s facilities include municated to about 300,000 visitors per year. Bodensee a research institute for basic research, exhibi- Guided tours, student projects, presentations of tion spaces, and an open-air museum informing experimental archeology, and a Stone Age trail Jurafußseen Zürichsee the public about the latest findings. In 2011, the inviting families to participate are some ways to Zentralschweiz prehistoric site of Unteruhldingen was declared share information. Trois Lacs by the UNESCO “World Heritage Site of Prehistoric Lac LémanLéman Keutschacher See Combe d’Ain Pile Dwellings“ among 111 sites along the lakes at The special exhibit, “The Legacy of the Pile the foothills of the Alps in Slovenia, Italy, France, Dwellers – Fascination World Cultural Heritage” Trento Alto Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. This repre- is yet another way to communicate this exciting Adige Friule Venezia sents a new challenge for the museum existing period. With the question “What did we inherit?”, Les alpins Giulia Ljubljansko barje savoyards Lombardia since 1922 not far from the originals in Unter- the goal was firstly to present the unique finds Piemonte Veneto uhldingen at Lake Constance. from 150 years of research that previously had often slumbered unnoticed in the archives. The To show the history of the pile dwellings dur- second task was to make the lost and valuable ing the Stone and Bronze Age means to describe heritage hidden in the lakes clearly visible and ac- 3000 years of living in carefully selected exam- cessible to the public with methods available ples. This period extends from the first residents to a museum. of the pile huts around 4000 BC to the end of the Bronze Age around 850 BC. 04 | 05 Preface to the exhibit Not only the treasures of archaeological research The Archaeological Service of Baden-Württemberg are fascinating, but even everyday objects are of has enhanced the special exhibit in the entrance great value for the reconstruction of prehistory. hall of the museum with a series of information To awaken the understanding for the protection boards providing details about the sites. of the sites, to gain the attention of the public and to raise awareness, was one of the overrid- The Reiss-Engelhorn Museums of Mannheim, the ing priorities of conception. Because only what is Institute of Prehistory and Early History at the understood in its value can also be successfully University of Tübingen and private collectors protected, secured, and preserved as an important from the region have supported this international information resource for our posterity. This is even exhibition. We would like to take this opportunity more important, the more of the archaeological to express our appreciation and gratitude to all substance disappears each year through erosion of them. The special exhibit is constructed over at the modern designed lakeshores or through the 160 square meters (about 1722 sq ft) and shows desiccation of wetlands. more than 1000 finds. At monitors installed in the museum, visitors have the opportunity to view the The Lake Dwelling Museum Unteruhldingen has original sites in the lake. With the findings in the You will find your journey through time continued August 2012 already accepted the broad mandate of conveying display cases and the recovered building elements, on the Museum grounds. PD Dr. habil Gunter Schöbel information and protecting cultural inheritance in the view into the underwater scenery illustrates Director of the Lake Dwelling Museum, conformity with the objectives of the UNESCO for what we have inherited by the people of the Stone We wish you an enjoyable visit of this special Unteruhldingen the past 90 years. and Bronze Age: jewelry, tools or pottery, but also exhibition “The Legacy of the Lake Dwellers”. technical, economic, or social experiences that still determine our lives today. 06 | 07 What did we inherit? hooks have – compared to today’s commodities and aside from the material – not really changed. 111 of over 1000 pile dwelling sites from the Other finds, such as unusual animal figurines, Stone and Bronze Age (4000 – 800 BC) are world curious symbols, and not explainable objects are heritage sites. They are located in six countries: still a mystery for scientists. Switzerland, France, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, and Germany. Nine of these are at Lake Constance. An entire archive of human history is buried under From whom did we inherit? water and in the wetlands. Not only piles and From the people of the Stone and Bronze Age. poles, but also floors, walls, and parts of roofs A lot was thrown away, many things were lost. were found in the excavations. Pottery, as well Other objects were buried in the mud at the lake- as tools, and jewelry made of stone, bones, and shores because of village fires and were preserved metal are known from many sites. The special down below hermetically sealed until the present artifacts in the pile dwelling settlements are or- day. Fishers and collectors, art dealers and archae- ganic materials, which, had they not been buried ologists brought this inheritance into the muse- under water, would have quickly decayed. “What from your father you’ve inherited, ums. Together with the results of the excavations, These are pieces of cloth and lace works, but also these objects allowed an extensive reconstruction You must earn again, to own it straight. 5000 years old wooden vessels. Even bread, ap- of the early life at Lake Constance. What’s never used, leaves us overburdened. ples and burned grain mush or porridge remained But we can use what the moment may create.” preserved. All these things provide great insights In a time without written documents, it is worth- into the life of the lake dwellers. Every day uten- while to look more carefully at the objects. They Goethe’s Faust Part I sils like axes or cooking pots, needles or fishing- tell stories. 08 | 09 Jewelry A sense for beauty ... Large quantities of half-finished beads and scraps Chalkpearls show that during the time of the pile dwellings Bodman-Ludwigshafen (D), jewelry workshops existed at Lake Constance about 5900 years, scale: 1:1. that were not only meant for the private use, but Stone spacer for necklaces which also produced for trade. In the Stone Age, Wahlwies (D), about 5900 years, scale: 1:1. beads of limestone and in the Bronze Age of glass and jet (fossilized wood) were crafted . Flintdrill for pearls and spacers Bodman-Ludwigshafen (D), The knowledge about the manufacturing of glass