"One hundred and fifty years ago, as a result of a dry and harsh winter, the water level of Lake Zurich decreased considerably, exposing ancient remains of lacustrine (found on or in a lake) villages. The chance discovery-----triggered what we now call the "lake-dwelling phenomenon."---2004, Francesco Menotti, "Living On The Lake In Prehistoric Europe, 150 Years Of Lake-Dwelling Research," p. 1.
      "The first recorded discoveries of Lake-Dweller antiquities took place at Ober-Meilen on Lake Zurich as long ago as 1829, but it was not until 1854, at a time of extremely low water, that implements and upright piles were found in sufficient quantities to impress their significance upon the finders, who were workmen and lake-front property holders trying to reclaim some of the dry beach."---1921, N. C. Nelson, "Swiss Lake-Dweller Discoveries," Natural History, Vol. XXI, March-April issue, p. 174.
    "It has long been known to the inhabitants upon the shores of the Swiss lakes that there existed in many of them ancient posts or piles, which without reaching the surface, rose to a height of 30 or 60 centimeters above the bottom. On Lake Neuchatel they were especially known to the fishermen, who dreaded them as a cause of injury to their nets."---1872, E. Desor, "Palafittes Or Lacustrian Constructions, Of The Lake Of Neuchatel," Annual Report of The Smithsonian Institution, p. 349.
    "In 1868 a correction to the lake levels was made, to prevent the regular flooding----. ----the lakebeds were exposed. The 'harvest time of archaeology' had begun, but described by others as 'a chaotic treasure hunt.' Fishermen abandoned the fish and took to antiquity, and dealers abounded"---1989, Bryony and John Coles, "People Of The Wetlands, Bogs, Bodies and Lake-Dwellers," p. 25.
      "In localities where--(artifacts are laying on the surface of the lakebed)--and where, strange to say, these primeval antiquities appear still on the surface of the lake bottom after having been exposed for thousands of years to the gaze of every boatman who passed over them, all that is required is a keen eye, clear still water, and a pair of forceps---."---1866, Dr. Ferdinand Keller, "The Lake Dwellings Of Switzerland And Other Parts Of Europe," p. 9.
    "Their principal characteristic (referring to Lake-Dwelling site artifacts) is more the exceptional preservation of the organic remains than the nature of the construction, whether they rested on piles or low sand banks, or whether they were built on the shoreline, on a lake-edge platform, or directly over the waters of the lake."---1996, Brian M. Fagan, "Lake Dwellings, European," The Oxford Companion To Archaeology,  p. 381.

 
SWISS LAKE DWELLERS
SWITZERLAND
NEOLITHIC AND BRONZE AGE

   Mention Swiss Lake Dwellings and "organic preservation" immediately comes to mind. That's because the preservation really is extraordinary. Especially the stone tools that are still attached to their thousands of years old wood and antler handles and hafting sockets. They represent some of the most recognizable artifact forms in the world. Before the discovery of the Swiss lake sites very little was known about the ancient cultures who once lived in this region. But once the discovery was made there began a tremendous drive to collect and excavate the lake sites.

     Up until the mid ninetieth century there had been discoveries of well preserved antler, bone and wood artifacts in other European countries. But wetlands archaeology was born in Switzerland. Contained within its boundaries are many lakes, the largest of which are Lake Geneva and Neuchatel in the west and Lake Zurich in the northeast. These lakes have produced the overwhelming majority of all early lake dwelling site artifacts.

      The earliest documented lake dweller site discovery in Switzerland occurred in 1829 at the town of Meilen on Lake Zurich. During a dredging operation wooden piles and various types of Neolithic artifacts were found but the discovery wasn't reported and its significance wasn't recognized until many years later.

      Twenty four years after the 1829 discovery, a drought in 1853 caused the waters to recede in Lake Zurich. The local property owners began to reclaim some of the lakeshore land by dredging the mud. They discovered large numbers of artifacts and more of the wooden piles. This time the discovery was brought to the attention of Dr. Ferdinand Keller. It was at this time that a dramatic period of  collecting and excavation began.

      Dr. Ferdinand Keller was the President of the Antiquarian Association of Zurich. He was the first to publish in September 1854 and interpret the discoveries of Neolithic and Bronze Age Lake dweller sites. As soon as the discovery of these extremely well preserved sites became known there was a frenzy of activity. People began to comb the lakes for more sites. Fishermen, who in years past had damaged their nets on underwater wooden piles, were sought out for possible locations of new sites. In fact, the fishermen had always known about the lake sites and the artifacts that could be found around them. By the early 1860's over a hundred sites had been reported.

      An early example of the collecting mania occurred, beginning in 1868 near Lake Neuchatel with a flood prevention project that eventually lowered water levels as much as 6 to 8 feet (2 to 2.5 m). The effects of the project lasted until 1888 as more and more of the lakebed was left exposed. This period is described as "the harvest time for archaeology" and by others as "a chaotic treasure hunt." Coles writes that "Fishermen abandoned the fish and took to antiquity, and dealers abounded."

     During the later half of the ninetieth century the Swiss government stepped in and attempted to restrict any excavations or recovery of lake site objects. But attempts to stop the wholesale collecting didn't seem to help as the sale of artifacts continued. However, some of the largest excavating projects were shut down and only small excavations were permitted. Collecting was difficult to control because the water levels continued to drop over a period of several years. In some areas boats were constantly anchored over the shallow underwater sites in search of artifacts.

"REFERENCES"

1866, Keller, Ferdinand, "The Lake Dwellings Of Switzerland And Other Parts Of Europe," p. 9, 153-155.
1872, Desor, E., "Palafittes Or Lacustrian Constructions, Of The Lake Of Neuchatel," Annual Report of The Smithsonian Institution, p. 349.
1946, Mathiassen, Therkel, "Danish Antiquities," pp. 62-63 & 64.
1975, Marion Spjut Gilliland, "The Material Culture Of Key Marco Florida, pp. 137 & 140.
1980, Hardin, A. F., "The Lake Dwellings Of Switzerland Retrospect And Prospect," University Of Edinburgh Department Of Archaeology, Occasional Paper, No. 5, p. 1.
1983, Kraft, Herbert C. & DeCicco, Gabriel, "The Search For Humanity's Roots," p. 49.
1989, Coles, Bryony and John, "People Of The Wetlands, Bogs, Bodies and Lake-Dwellers," pp. 17-31.
1996, Brian M. Fagan, "Lake Dwellings, European," The Oxford Companion To Archaeology,  pp. 381-381.
2004, Menotti, Francesco, "Living On The Lake In Prehistoric Europe, 150 Years Of Lake-Dwelling Research," p. 1.
2004, Ruoff, Ulrich, "Lake-Dwelling Studies In Switzerland Since 'Meilen 1854,' Living On The Lake In Prehistoric Europe, 150 Years Of Lake-Dwelling Research, pp. 9-21.
2004, Schibler, Jorg, "Bones As A Key For Reconstructing The Environment, Nutrition And Economy Of The Lake-Dwelling Societies," Living On The Lake In Prehistoric Europe, 150 Years Of Lake-Dwelling Research, p. 149.
2007, Lewis, Helen, "Pile Dwellings, Changing Lake Conditions And Sediment Deposition: Preliminary Soil Micromorphology Study Of Cultural Deposits From Underwater Sites At Lake Luokesas, Moletai Region, Lithuania," Journal Of Wetland Archaeology, Vol. 7, pp. 33-50.

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