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
Subsequently the proprietor, Count de Pourtalès, with the co-operation
of the local archæologists, made further excavations, which proved
that it essentially belonged to the Stone Age. From Dr. Uhlmann's
Report (1865), it appears that the relic-bed was from 1 to 4 feet
below gravel and matted roots. The piles were generally of oak-stems
as thick as a man's arm or leg, and some were as much as 1 foot in
diameter, but when they reached this size they were generally split.
They were irregularly set, and penetrated deeply into the mud below.
They were of a blackish colour, well preserved, and apparently pointed
with stone axes. Among the relics collected were daggers, saws, and
arrow-heads of flint, beautifully made (=Fig. 14=, No. 9); stone
celts, neatly bored; implements of bone, as chisels, pointers, etc.,
and staghorn haftings.
Fragments of pottery showed two qualities--a reddish thick
earthenware, badly burnt, and a finer quality with some linear
ornamentation.
The bones turned up were very numerous; among which Dr. Uhlmann
recognised those of the following animals:--Urus (a large variety of
horned cattle) and the small _marsh cow_. The sheep-bones indicated
a large race with strong horn cores bent backwards and outwards;
but those of the goat belonged to a more slender animal; stag, elk,
and roe-deer. Amongst the carnivora were the great bear, the teeth
of which were perforated for suspension, the dog (larger than at
Moosseedorf), fox, hedgehog, and beaver. Bones of the frog, and the
scales and bones of a fish, probably a species of pike. Also there
were several portions of skulls and other human bones.
Among vegetal remains were hazel and beech nuts, stones of the sloe
and birdcherry; seeds of raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries;
and carbonised masses of wheat. (B. 126.)
When the station became dry in 1874, in consequence of the
drainage-works, it was again investigated by Mr. Süsstrunk, on behalf
of the town of Morat and the Canton of Fribourg. Among the objects
then found were two flat celts, the composition of which, according to
Dr. v. Fellenberg's analysis, was a mixture of carbonate of copper and
sulphur, without any traces of tin. Among other things were buttons
and haftings of staghorn; a conical stone set in a long hafting of
staghorn; some netting-needles of wood, etc. (B. 286.)
Since then a considerable number of the usual class of bronze objects
as hatchets, knives, hair-pins, fish-hooks, rings, etc., have been
found on this station. (B. 462.) Noteworthy is a knife, partly of
bronze and partly of iron (=Fig. 14=, No. 1).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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