{"id":2670,"date":"2024-04-04T19:11:50","date_gmt":"2024-04-04T17:11:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kernsverlag.com\/?p=2670"},"modified":"2024-08-12T15:45:08","modified_gmt":"2024-08-12T13:45:08","slug":"lower-and-middle-paleolithic-sites-and-artifacts-in-the-swiss-canton-of-basel-stadt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kernsverlag.com\/en\/lower-and-middle-paleolithic-sites-and-artifacts-in-the-swiss-canton-of-basel-stadt\/","title":{"rendered":"Lower and Middle Paleolithic Sites and Artifacts in the Swiss Canton of Basel-Stadt"},"content":{"rendered":"
\nIngmar M. Braun1<\/sup><\/strong><\/p>\n

1<\/sup> Wyhlenweg 4, CH-4126 Bettingen, Switzerland<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Abstract<\/h2>\n

The canton of Basel-Stadt, situated in the northwestern part of Switzerland, is divided into three communities: the city of Basel and the two rural communities of Riehen and Bettingen. Basel-Stadt is surrounded by France and Germany and the canton of Baselland. Although glaciers did not cover this area during the penultimate and last glacial periods, only a few finds and sites from the Lower and Middle Paleolithic have been recorded here. The sites, distributed in all three communities of Basel, Riehen and Bettingen, are found at elevated locations some distance away from the present bed of the Rhine River.<\/p>\n

Though small in number, the finds from these sites reveal that perhaps Homo erectus<\/span> and certainly Neanderthals were present in the area of Basel-Stadt. The recovered material represents mostly isolated finds which are often impossible to date directly. We can only estimate their age with the aid of typology and by comparing them with artifacts from stratified contexts. In other cases, the few artifacts present are associated with fauna remains. The work below describes the small number of little-known but in some cases important Lower and Middle Paleolithic finds from the canton of Basel-Stadt. Some are published here for the first time for an international scientific audience.<\/p>\n

\"drawn<\/a>
Fig. 1: Lower and Middle Paleolithic sites in the canton Basel-Stadt. 1: Basel – Rehhagstrasse, 2: Riehen \u2013 Ludwig-Courvoisier-Strasse, 3: Riehen \u2013 Am Ausserberg 71 and 75, 4: Riehen \u2013 In der Au, 5: Bettingen \u2013 Auf dem Buechholz 3, 6: Bettingen \u2013 Im Junkholz (drawing and \u00a9 N. Spichtig, Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons-Basel-Stadt).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Basel \u2013 Rehhagstrasse (Rehhag Street)<\/h2>\n

In November 1969, workers discovered animal bones during the construction of a storage reservoir in the Rehhagstrasse (Fig. 1, 1). The site is located in the area of the Bruderholz, a hill in Basel on the left side of the Rhine River. Investigations of the site were subsequently undertaken under the direction of Prof. Elisabeth Schmid from the Laboratory of Prehistory at the University of Basel. These investigations led to the recovery of other bones. The finds lay under a 4-m deep sterile loess layer. The bone remains include teeth and bone fragments of mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius<\/span>), bison (Bos bonasus<\/span>) and wild horse (Equus sp.<\/span>) and an upper molar and antler fragments of giant deer (Megaloceros giganteus<\/span>) (Schmid 1970).<\/p>\n

\"Fragmented<\/a>
Fig. 2: Basel \u2013 Rehhagstrasse. Fragmented distal end of a retouched flake (photo and \u00a9: P. Saurbeck, Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons-Basel-Stadt, modified by H. Koehler).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The fragmented distal end of a retouched flake was also found and is the only evidence of human presence at the site (Fig. 2). On the basis of the find situation, and the associated faunal remains, the artifact has been assigned to the Middle Paleolithic (Schmid 1970). According to Schmid (1970), it is a fragment of a convergent scraper that she compares with two convergent scrapers from the red clay layer at Achenheim IIIf (Bosinski 1967).<\/p>\n

Riehen \u2013 Ludwig-Courvoisier-Strasse (Ludwig Courvoisier Street)<\/h2>\n

On October 9, 1999, Hans J\u00fcrg Leuzinger, honorary collaborator with the Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt (Archaeological Service of Basel-Stadt), found a pebble in the back dirt of a construction pit in the Ludwig-Courvoisier-Strasse<\/span> in Riehen (Fig. 1, 2). The pebble is 13 cm long and of coarse, alpine metaquartzite, which is found in the gravels of the Rhine River and ill-suited for knapping because of its heterogeneity. As the sediments from the construction pit are composed of loess layers, this pebble must have arrived here as a result of human activity. Two of the longitudinal edges are sharp, leading H. J. Leuzinger to conclude that it must be a stone artifact (Jagher et al. 2003). It is in fact a pebble tool, or chopper. Some parts of the natural pebble surface are present, and two cutting edges are also evident, formed by alternating retouch (Fig. 3, 1-3). The chronological attribution of the artifact has proven difficult to determine, even after different geoarchaeological investigations were undertaken in the construction pit, and small quantities of sediment found on the artifact were analyzed. However, despite these analyses, the Riehen chopper still lacks a stratigraphical context, its age remaining uncertain. Since choppers are rare in the Middle Paleolithic, it is probable that the artifact dates to the Lower Paleolithic (Jagher et al. 2003).<\/p>\n

\"Chopper<\/a>
Fig. 3: Riehen \u2013 Ludwig-Courvoisier-Strasse. Chopper in alpine metaquarzite. 1) Photo and \u00a9: P. Saurbeck, Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons-Basel-Stadt. 2) Front and back view of the chopper. Dark grey: pebble surface; light grey: retouches. The stars show the two primary retouches (drawing: R. Jagher, in Jagher et al.2003). 3) Sections of the chopper (drawing: R. Jagher, in Jagher et al. 2003).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jagher et al. (2003) compare the chopper from Riehen with pebble tools from Raedersdorf, Sondersdorf and Walheim in Alsace, in the D\u00e9partement of Haut-Rhin. These artifacts are isolated surface finds and thus lack a stratified context. One chopper from the Loessi\u00e8re Sundhauser Ouest<\/span> (D\u00e9partement Bas-Rhin) in Achenheim was found within a stratified layer which is between 350,000 and 550,000 years old. Traces of hearths and a carbonized horse tibia were found in the same sedimentological ensemble as the chopper (Jagher et al. 2003; Le Tensorer 1998; Schnitzler and Sainty 1992). Based on their patina, Jagher et al. determined that the Alsatian surface finds also belong to the Lower Paleolithic (Jagher et al. 2003).<\/p>\n

Pebble tools have also been found in different localities in the neighboring canton of Baselland, but these finds are also very difficult to date without a stratigraphical context. Most of them were found in fields and in association with Mesolithic and Neolithic stone tools. One of them, a chopper from M\u00fcnchenstein, was found together with a convergent scraper dating to the Middle Paleolithic (Sedlmeier 2016).<\/p>\n

Riehen \u2013 Am Ausserberg 71 and 75<\/h2>\n

Like the site of Basel-Rehhagstrasse (see above), this site was discovered during construction work carried out in the summer of 1967. The find was made during earth removal carried out prior to the construction of a family house at Am Ausserberg 75 and at Am Ausserberg 71; the site yielded several animal bones which were found at a depth of 3 m (Fig. 1, 3). Archaeological investigations were subsequently undertaken by E. Schmid. The numerous, well-preserved bones, recovered within three different loess layers (Fig. 4), were identified as hyena (Crocuta crocuta<\/span>), bison (Bos bonasus<\/span>), horse (Equus sp.<\/span>), mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius<\/span>) and giant deer (Megaloceros giganteus<\/span>) (Schmid 1967, 1968, 1971). Of particular note here is the recovery of numerous remains of hyena, especially adult individuals, and one more or less complete skeleton of a young animal. Some bones display hyena bite and claw marks. Several hyena coprolites, which have a diameter between 3 and 4 cm, are also of interest (Fig. 5) (Schmid 1967, 1968, 1976). Radiocarbon dating of the bones provided two dates of between 50,000 and 46,000 BP (Sedlmeier 2008).<\/p>\n

\"Horse<\/a>
Fig. 4: Riehen \u2013 Am Ausserberg 75. Horse bones in the sediment. (Photo and \u00a9: E. Schmid, Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons-Basel-Stadt).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Coprolites<\/a>
Fig. 5: Riehen \u2013 Am Ausserberg 75. Coprolites of hyena (photo and \u00a9 P. Portner, Historisches Museum Basel).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

According to E. Schmid (1967), three flakes were also found, providing evidence of human activity on the site; one is a fragment of a small flake of red radiolarite (Fig. 6), while the other two are small natural stones. There are also some small fragments of birch charcoal (Schmid 1967).<\/p>\n

Initially this site was seen as a Neanderthal encampment. Subsequently it has been re-interpreted as a hyena feeding area located adjacent to a waterhole. This remains the predominant hypothesis today (Schmid 1976; Sedlmeier 2008).<\/p>\n

\"Fragment<\/a>
Fig. 6: Riehen \u2013 Am Ausserberg 75. Fragment of a flake in red radiolarite (photo and \u00a9: P. Saurbeck, Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons-Basel-Stadt).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Riehen \u2013 In Der Au, Reservoir<\/h2>\n

In his book Geschichte des Dorfes Riehen<\/span> (History of the Village Riehen), D. L. Emil Iselin (1923) mentions that during the construction of a reservoir in 1886 in the area known locally as In der Au, stone tools and the remains of a hearth, together with bones from aurochs were uncovered (Fig. 1, 4). Unfortunately, the finds are now missing; therefore, no further information can be gleaned of what was potentially a very important site probably dating to the (Middle?) Paleolithic.<\/p>\n

Bettingen \u2013 Auf Dem Buechholz 3<\/h2>\n

Around 1987, the author made the first discoveries of lithic artifacts in a field in the area known as Auf dem Buechholz in Bettingen (Fig. 1, 5) (Braun 1999a; Leuzinger 1994a). They are recorded along with other Neolithic finds which were discovered in the surrounding fields by the author, and by Hans J\u00fcrg and Urs Leuzinger (Leuzinger 1998). The author continues to carry out surveys in this field and in the surrounding area.<\/p>\n

\"Handaxe<\/a>
Fig. 7: Bettingen \u2013 Auf dem Buechholz 3. Handaxe in quartzite (drawing: J.-M. Le Tensorer, in Braun 1999b).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In February 1998 the author discovered a hand axe (Fig. 7 and Fig. 8) which was made from a quartzite flake. This raw material can be found in the gravels of the Rhine River. The hand axe is 10 cm long, with a maximal width of 6.4 cm and a maximal thickness of 3.5 cm. Its point is inclined; the original point was probably already broken during the Paleolithic period and the ventral surface underwent additional retouch (Braun 1999a, 1999b). According to the typology developed by Fran\u00e7ois Bordes (1961), the object is an atypical almond-shaped hand axe. The right base on the dorsal surface of the Bettingen hand axe displays the remains of the natural surface of the pebble, or a so-called talon reserve<\/span>, which according to Bordes is typical of almond-shaped hand axes (Bordes 1961; Braun 1999b). For Sedlmeier (2008), the piece is a lanceolate-type hand axe, according to the typology of hand axes established by Bordes.<\/p>\n

\"Front<\/a>
Fig. 8: Bettingen \u2013 Auf dem Buechholz 3. Front and back view of the handaxe in quartzite (photo and \u00a9: P. Saurbeck, Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons-Basel-Stadt).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As it is a non-stratified find, it is difficult to assign an accurate date to the hand axe. It could date to the Lower or Middle Paleolithic (Braun 1999b). As lanceolate hand axes are typical of the Central European Micoquien, Sedlmeier suggests that the hand axe from Bettingen dates to between around 60,000 and 40,000 BP (Sedlmeier 2008).<\/p>\n

Up until now only six hand axes have been found in Switzerland; two are bifacially backed knives (Faustkeilschaber<\/span> respectively biface \u00e0 dos<\/span>) (Braun 1999b; Braun and Schwarz 1999; Brogli 2008; Kaiser and Braun 2006; Le Tensorer 1998). For this reason, the finding of the hand axe at Bettingen is very important, not only for Swiss Prehistory, but also for the broader region.<\/p>\n

Some years before the discovery of the hand axe, the author found a quartzite flake in the same field (Fig. 9). It is a relatively thick flake with a plain platform remnant displaying significant retouch on the left side of the dorsal surface. Unfortunately, there is an old fracture at the distal end of this flake. It could be regarded as a fragment of a sidescraper. In view of the fact that a hand axe was found in the same locality, and given that this find is also made of quartzite (not the same kind of quartzite as the hand axe), we can assume that the retouched flake dates to the Lower or Middle Paleolithic. Neolithic artifacts from the area are made from the local chalcedony or Jurassic flint (Braun 1999a, 1999b).<\/p>\n

\"Fragment<\/a>
Fig. 9: Bettingen \u2013 Auf dem Buechholz 3. Fragment of a retouched flake in quartzite (drawing: U. Leuzinger, in Braun 1999; photo and \u00a9: P. Saurbeck, Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons-Basel-Stadt).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bettingen \u2013 Im Junkholz<\/h2>\n

In May 1990 the author discovered several Neolithic stone artifacts in a field in the area known as Im Junkholz (Fig. 1, 6; Leuzinger 1994b), an area where the author continues to discover finds (Braun 1999c, 2012, 2017). In terms of the quantity of finds, this is the largest and most important Neolithic site in Basel-Stadt.<\/p>\n

One object, found in the year when the site was first discovered, has already attracted attention because it is made of red radiolarite. It is a Middle Paleolithic Levallois core measuring 6 cm in length, 4 cm in width, with a maximal thickness of 1.6 cm (Fig. 10). The reduction face shows the negative of only one flake, which was struck on the distal side. The underside shows the remains of the natural pebble surface alongside removal negatives resulting from the preparation of the core. The radiolarite raw material could also have been found in the gravels of the Rhine River. It is not clear if this Levallois core comes from the same context as the hand axe and the retouched quartzite flake. Both find sites are about 600 m apart as the crow flies (Braun 1999b; Jagher 1999).<\/p>\n

The Levallois core indicates that Neanderthals were present in this locality long before the Neolithic. The hand axe and retouched quartzite flake from Bettingen \u2013 Auf dem Buechholz 3<\/span> provide additional evidence for this (see above).<\/p>\n

\"Levallois<\/a>
Fig. 10: Bettingen \u2013 Im Junkholz. Levallois core in red radiolarite (drawing: J.-M. Le Tensorer, in Braun 1999b; photo and \u00a9: P. Saurbeck, Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons-Basel-Stadt).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n

Although there are not many recorded Lower and Middle Paleolithic finds from the Swiss Canton of Basel-Stadt, those that have been recovered indicate that Neanderthals, and probably Homo erectus<\/span>, were present in this region. Although all of the finds are important, the hand axe from Bettingen and the chopper from Riehen are of particular significance for prehistoric research on a supra-regional scale.<\/p>\n

As this area was not covered by glaciers during the penultimate and last glacial periods, it can be expected that more sites and finds will be discovered in the future. Systematic field surveys and monitoring of construction pits are thus important for future research.<\/p>\n

Literature<\/h2>\n

Bordes, F. 1961. Typologie du Pal\u00e9olithique ancien et moyen. Bordeaux: Delmas.<\/p>\n

Bosinski, G. 1967. Die mittelpal\u00e4olithischen Funde im westlichen Mitteleuropa. K\u00f6ln, Graz: B\u00f6hlau.<\/p>\n

Braun, I. M. 1999a. 1991\/46 Bettingen, Auf dem Buechholz 3 (A). Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 1998: 41.<\/p>\n

Braun, I. M. (mit einem Beitrag von R. Jagher) 1999b. Zur Entdeckung eines Faustkeiles und anderen pal\u00e4olithischen Funden aus Bettingen. Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 1998: 75\u201381.<\/p>\n

Braun, I. M. 1999c. 1990\/53 Bettingen, Im Junkholz (A). Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 1998: 39\u201341.<\/p>\n

Braun, I. M. 2012. 2011\/27 Bettingen. Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 2011: 78\u201379.<\/p>\n

Braun, I. M. 2017. 2016\/39 Im Junkholz. Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 2016: 62.<\/p>\n

Braun, I. M., and P.-A. Schwarz. 1999. Bettingen BS \u2013 Ein rund 100’000 Jahre alter Faustkeil. Das \u00e4lteste menschliche Werkzeug im Kanton Basel-Stadt. Arch\u00e4ologie der Schweiz 22\/3: 157.<\/p>\n

Brogli, W. 2008. Der Faustkeilschaber von M\u00f6hlin AG. Jahrbuch Arch\u00e4ologie Schweiz 91: 99-101.<\/p>\n

Iselin, D. L. E. 1923. Geschichte des Dorfes Riehen. Basel: von Helbing & Lichtenhahn.<\/p>\n

Jagher, R. 1999. Technologische Beobachtungen am Levallois-Kern von Bettingen, Im Junkholz. In Braun, I. M. 1999b. Zur Entdeckung eines Faustkeiles und anderen pal\u00e4olithischen Funden aus Bettingen. Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 1998: 75\u201381.<\/p>\n

Jagher, R., P. Rentzel, P.-A. Schwarz (mit Beitr\u00e4gen von A. Hilgers A. and U. Radtke). 2003. Ein altsteinzeitliches Ger\u00f6llartefakt aus Riehen \u2013 Ergebnisse der arch\u00e4ologischen und naturwissenachaftlichen Untersuchungen. Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 2001: 103\u2013128.<\/p>\n

Kaiser, M., and I. M. Braun. 2006. Neue und alte Faustkeilfunde aus der Regio s\u00fcdlicher Oberrhein und Hochrhein. Arch\u00e4ologische Nachrichten aus Baden 72\/73: 4\u201316.<\/p>\n

Le Tensorer, J.-M. 1998. Le Pal\u00e9olithique en Suisse. Grenoble: J\u00e9r\u00f4me Millon.<\/p>\n

Leuzinger, U. 1994a. 1991\/46 Bettingen, Rainweg (Auf dem Buechholz 3). Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 1991: 19.<\/p>\n

Leuzinger, U. 1994b. 1990\/53 Bettingen, Wyhlenweg (Im Junkholz). Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung des Kantons Basel-Stadt 1991: 20.<\/p>\n

Leuzinger, U. 1998. Inventar der steinzeitlichen Fundstellen im Kanton Basel-Stadt. In Mille fiori. Festschrift f\u00fcr Ludwig Berger, ed. by R\u00f6merstadt Augusta Raurica, pp. 285\u2013289. Forschungen in Augst 25. Augst: R\u00f6mermuseum.<\/p>\n

Schmid, E. 1967. Riehen, Ausserberg. Basler Zeitschrift f\u00fcr Geschichte und Altertumskunde 67: XXX-XXXIV.<\/p>\n

Schmid, E. 1968. Grosswildjagd am Ausserberg in Riehen. Z’Rieche \u2013 Ein heimatliches Jahrbuch 1968: 13\u201317.<\/p>\n

Schmid, E. 1971. Riehen-Ausserberg 71. Basler Zeitschrift f\u00fcr Geschichte und Altertumskunde 71,2: 175.<\/p>\n

Schmid, E. 1970. Rehhagstrasse. Basler Zeitschrift f\u00fcr Geschichte und Altertumskunde 70: 233\u2013237.<\/p>\n

Schmid, E. 1976. Beobachtungen an w\u00fcrmeiszeitlichen Hy\u00e4nenkoprolithen und zerbissenen Knochen. In IXe congr\u00e8s. Th\u00e8mes sp\u00e9cialis\u00e9s: 143\u2013149. Nice: Union internationale des sciences pr\u00e9historiques et protohistoriques.<\/p>\n

Schnitzler, B., and J. Sainty 1992. Aux origines de l’Alsace \u2013 Du Pal\u00e9olithique au M\u00e9solithique. Strasbourg: Les mus\u00e9es de la ville de Strasbourg.<\/p>\n

Sedlmeier, J. 2008. Alt- und Mittelsteinzeit: 500’000 \u2013 5500 v. Chr. In Unter uns \u2013 Arch\u00e4ologie in Basel, ed. by Arch\u00e4ologische Bodenforschung Basel-Stadt, Historisches Museum Basel, pp. 33\u201363. Basel: Christoph Merian.<\/p>\n

Sedlmeier, J. 2016. Die Ger\u00f6llger\u00e4te im Kanton Basel-Landschaft \u2013 ein Datierungsproblem. Jahresbericht Arch\u00e4ologie Baselland 2015: 102\u2013105.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\nThe canton of Basel-Stadt, situated in the northwestern part of Switzerland, is divided into three communities: the city of Basel and the two rural communities of Riehen and Bettingen.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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