The Cetina group and the transition from Copper to Bronze Age in Dalmatia

Dalmatia, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea, is a region of contact between the several worlds of the early metal ages-the Danube region inland, the Adriatic coasts and beyond towards the sea. New finds from caves and burial mounds, and new radiocarbon dates help tease out complexities in the region's cultural orde

Recherche interdisciplinaire en archéologie et écologie humaine dans la vallée centre-alpine de la Léventine, Tessin (Suisse)

Le Département d’Archéologie Préhistorique de l’Université de Zurich conduit depuis une trentaine d’années des fouilles archéologiques dans les Alpes. Les chercheurs s’intéressent en particulier aux modes d’occupation et aux paysages, élaborant de nouvelles techniques de recherche et, notamment, des approches interdisciplinaires de l’écologie humaine. Un nouveau projet intitulé « Léventine – paysage de l’occupation préhistorique » vise à retracer l’histoire du peuplement aux âges du Bronze et du Fer dans la Léventine (vallée alpine du Tessin) grâce à des études archéologiques et paléo-environnementales menées à différentes altitudes. Pour ce projet, il a fallu développer une méthodologie de prospection et de recherches éco-archéologiques, avec modélisation prédictive fondée sur des cartes archéologiques, étude systématique ou aléatoire du terrain, carottages, sondages et fouilles de moyenne ampleur. Les données sont modélisées en SIG à partir de la base de données du projet et de données spatiales mises à l’échelle.The department of Prehistoric Archaeology at the University of Zurich has been engaged in archaeological Alpine research for the last 30 years. This research focuses on themes of settlement and landscape archaeology mainly, developing new research methods, and in particular interdisciplinary approaches to human ecology. A new project entitled “Leventina – Prehistoric Settlement Landscape” aims at reconstructing the Bronze and Iron Age settlement history of the Leventina (Alpine Ticino valley) through archaeological and paleo-environmental studies in its different altitudinal zones. A comprehensive strategy of survey and eco-archaeological research has been designed for the project, including predictive modeling using archaeological maps, systematic and random field survey, coring, sub-surface testing, and medium-scale excavation. Data are modeled in GIS using the project database along with scaled geodata

Buthan-Swiss archaeology project 2013: Report on activities and outlook

The Bhutan-Swiss Archaeology Project’s first phase (2008–10) was focused on the excavation of the Drapham Dzong ruins in the Bumthang valley (see corresponding SLSA annual reports). The second phase (2011–13) aims to achieve the implementation of the country’s first Archaeology Office under the Department for Conservation of Cultural Heritage Sites (Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs) as well as to complete the modular teaching program in practical archaeology, which was set up by the Department of Prehistoric Archaeology of the University of Zurich. Semiannually, archaeological surveys, practical field schools and small excavations as well as theoretical class room teaching modules have been conducted by Swiss experts (see corresponding SLSA annual reports). In the context of the project’s second phase, activities of many kinds took place in 2013

Montanlandschaft Oberhalbstein – prähistorische Kupferproduktion in Graubünden

Seit Jahrzehnten als prähistorisches Bergbaugebiet bekannt, war das Oberhalbstein in den vergangenen Jahren erstmals Gegenstand systematischer montanarchäologischer Forschungen. Dabei wurden nicht nur Dutzende neue Fundstellen entdeckt, sondern erstmals auch zentrale Verhüttungsbefunde wie Öfen und Röstbette ausgegraben. Zudem konnten gleich mehrere Kupferbergwerke aus der Bronze- und Eisenzeit untersucht werden – eine schweizweite Premiere! Dank ausführlicher Geländearbeiten, Materialauswertungen und Laboranalysen kann nun der gesamte «Oberhalbstein-Prozess» vom Erz bis zum Metall rekonstruiert werden

Mining at the Fringes. High-Altitude Prehistoric Copper Mining in the Oberhalbstein Valley (Grisons, Switzerland)

The mining region of Oberhalbstein, to date sparsely studied, has been the subject of archaeological research since 2013. Two mining areas which lie well above the forest line were studied in the summer of 2017. The Avagna-Ochsenalp site includes multi-phased heap features, of which the earliest phase has been dendrochronologically dated to the 11th century BC. In Cotschens, mining traces in an area of approximately 0.1 km2 from an unknown time period have been observed. Here, the flooded mine 1 was studied in more detail. After the cavity had been drained, 66 wood objects were revealed, including mining tools from the 1st century BC. 14C dating further confirms Late Bronze Age and Early to Late Iron Age activity. Stone tools from the adjacent heap also confirm prehistoric on-site ore processing, a unique find so far in the Oberhalbstein region