CH-BE-02

Lüscherz, Dorfstation. Location of the site © ADB

  Lüscherz  |     Dorfstation

Short Description
The "Village Station Lüscherz" at the shallow southern shore of Lake Bieler has been known since 1863. Old maps reference large fields of piles in the ground. The oldest settlement remains are located along today’s shoreline. The extensive pile field represents several prolonged settlement phases, with the newer construction phases moving first eastwards, and then after 2800 BC, toward the deeper part of the lake. In the 1870’s. following the first Jurassic Lakeshores correction, when water levels sunk, uncontrolled “Treasure hunting” and artefact collecting took place, that soon needed to be stopped by the authorities.
The first documented surveys of the site started in the 1880’s. In 1954, the Historic Museum of Bern conducted a series of excavations, which were continued by the Archaeological Service since 1986. The surveys indicate a thick and widely spread archaeological layer, and produced several prehistoric pieces of construction lumber. Some of the deposits in the lake are extremely well preserved until today.

Neolithic / Bronze Age

Late Neolithic; 4000-3500 BC Late/Final Neolithic; 3000-2500 BC Late Bronze Age; 1000-500 BC

Lake Bielersee

428 m.a.s.l.

Size of the site 3,4 ha / approx. 5 soccer pitches

Size of the bufferzone 75,1 ha / ca. 105 soccer pitches

Special Features & Highlights
Partially well preserved. Due to its rich find material, the period "Lüscherz" from 2900 to 2750 B.C. was named after site.

Lüscherz, Dorfstation. Monitoring of erosion processes in the pile field of the site © ADB

Current Activities
Survey of the state of preservation by means of submerged prospecting and core drilling. Regular monitoring by the diving team of the Archaeological Service. Protective measures and partial rescue excavations are planned.
An information board on site

Recent publication:
Peter J. Suter, Um 2700 v. Chr. Wandel und Kontinuität in den Ufersiedlungen am Bielersee. Ufersiedlungen am Bielersee 8. Bern 2017; 764 S.; CHF 82.–; ISBN 978-3-9524659-4-3.
Beim ADB zu beziehen: adb.sab@be.ch

Pile Dwellings up close
The site can be visited individually.

Pfahlbaumuseum Lüscherz
Hauptstrasse 19,
2576 Lüscherz, Schweiz

+41 32 338 21 38
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