Prehistoric pile dwellings at Attersee - Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps
Seewalchen am Attersee, Austria
10.08.2019
The Pfahlbauten am Attersee (Pile Dwellings on Lake Attersee) - Preserving a Unique Prehistoric Legacy
The Pfahlbauten am Attersee, located in Seewalchen am Attersee in Austria, is a remarkable example of prehistoric lake dwellings that have been preserved for over 5,000 years. These pile dwellings, built on wooden stilts over the water, provide a glimpse into the daily lives of the early inhabitants of the area.
The site was first discovered in the late 19th century, when archaeologists found remnants of these ancient dwellings during a lake level decrease. It wasn't until the 1920s that systematic excavations began, revealing a rich history of human settlement and development in the region.
The Pfahlbauten am Attersee is made up of multiple sites, each with their own unique characteristics. The site at Litzlberg, for example, features over 1,700 wooden piles that supported a large community of around 20 houses. The site at Seewalchen contains the remains of a Neolithic village, while the site at Weyregg showcases the transition from prehistoric to medieval settlements.
These pile dwellings are not only significant for their age and preservation, but also for the insights they provide into the cultural and technological advancements of the time. The artifacts found at the sites, such as pottery, tools, and human remains, have helped to paint a picture of the daily lives and customs of these early settlers.
Today, the Pfahlbauten am Attersee is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized for its outstanding universal value and contribution to our understanding of human history. The site is also a popular tourist destination, with a museum showcasing the findings from the excavations and offering guided tours of the sites.
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This serial property of 111 small individual sites encompasses the remains of prehistoric pile-dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from around 5000 to 500 B.C. on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. Excavations, only conducted in some of the sites, have yielded evidence that provides insight into life in prehistoric times during the Neolithic and Bronze Age in Alpine Europe and the way communities interacted with their environment. Fifty-six of the sites are located in Switzerland. The settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region.
Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps are a series of prehistoric pile dwelling (or stilt house) settlements in and around the Alps built from about 5000 to 500 BC on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. In 2011, 111 sites located variously in Switzerland (56), Italy (19), Germany (18), France (11), Austria (5) and Slovenia (2) were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list. In Slovenia, these were the first World Heritage Sites to be listed for their cultural value.
Excavations conducted at some of the sites have yielded evidence regarding prehistoric life and the way communities interacted with their environment during the Neolithic and Bronze Ages in Alpine Europe. These settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region.
Contrary to popular belief, the dwellings were not erected over water, but on nearby marshy land. They were set on piles to protect against occasional flooding. Because the lakes have grown in size over time, many of the original piles are now under water, giving modern observers the false impression that they have always been this way. Climate change is changing the habitats of these sites.
