The Lake-Dwellings of Europe: Being the Rhind Lectures in Archæology for 1888Munro, Robert
History
The Lake-Dwellings of Europe: Being the Rhind Lectures in Archæology for 1888
Munro, Robert
Lake-dwellers and lake-dwellings -- Bibliography; Lake-dwellers and lake-dwellings -- Europe
BLEICHE-ARBON.--In 1885 Messikommer relates that during the very low
state of the lake in 1882 he was requested to visit Arbon, and make
an inquiry regarding the discovery of some prehistoric implements
along the shore, which were supposed to indicate the existence of
a lake-dwelling in the neighbourhood. In the places referred to he
found some flint saws and other implements, but, notwithstanding his
well-known experience in lake-dwelling research, he failed to find
piles; and the only result of his visit was the discovery of the
ruins of a Roman watch-tower near the mouth of the harbour.
On the 19th of September, 1885, Messikommer again received a message
from the authorities of Arbon to repair to their town, as this time
there could be no doubt that the remains of a true Pfahlbau had been
found. The site of this new discovery was not the seashore, but
the flat land stretching between Arbon and Steinach. Here, in the
course of excavations for a water supply to the town, the workmen
came upon piles with cross-timbers, among which were interspersed
various relics of human industry. The place where these discoveries
were made was about a kilomètre from Arbon, and close by the road
to St. Gallen. On a section being exposed, the following layers
were observed:--First half a foot of soil, then a foot of loam, and
under this a stratified deposit of sand and gravel, about 3 feet in
thickness, containing fresh-water shells. The relic-bed was from 1
foot to 1½ foot thick, and in it were found stone hatchets; fragments
of sawn stones, apparently the refuse of manufactured implements;
corn-crushers; four perforated horn hammers, "_Feldhacken_;" several
bone objects--needles, chisels, awls, daggers; a knife-like implement
made of a wild boar's tusk, and another made of yew-wood; an oar;
fragments of ornamented pottery, etc. Also there were barley, numerous
seeds and fruits, shells of hazel-nuts, the skull of a dog, and a
quantity of osseous remains, representing the urus, bison, stag, cow,
pig, bear, etc. (B. 431, 434c, and 462.)
MINDLISEE AND BUSSENSEE.
In the vicinity of Constance are two small lakes or bogs which have
yielded important remains of lake-dwellings. These are the BUSSENSEE
and MINDLISEE, both situated in the tract of country stretching
between the Untersee and the Ueberlingersee. The former is near
Lützelstetten, and in its marginal peat there have been found the
following antiquities:--A wooden dish cut out of an alder-trunk,
measuring 13 inches in diameter; two amber beads--one a perforated
disc 1½ inch in diameter (=Fig. 28=, No. 8), similar to one found
at Ober-Meilen, and said to have been in the possession of the late
Mr. Aepli, and the other a small ordinary bead (No. 9). Also several
articles of stone, horn, copper, and bronze. A curiosity is a portion
of the shell of a tortoise perforated with two holes for suspension
(No. 17). Also a female human skull of the dolichocephalic type.[25]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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