Hochdorf, Germany.
Location, Site, Context
The great tumulus of Hochdorf is located within a cluster
of tumuli, most of which have
not been excavated, ca. 10 km due west of the
Hohenasperg.
The latter, a six-hectare plateau ca. 100 m. above the gently-rolling
countryside, is visible from a great distance. Having been
continuously occupied since the Middle Ages, with many phases of
construction, some extending down to bedrock, it has not been
excavated and there appears to be no prospect of major archaeological
evidence to be found there. The Hohenasperg was most probably the
main seat of government of the popula
|
|
Hohenasperg with Kleinaspergle in foreground.
After Kimmig 1988. fig. 4
|
tion on the plains below, perhaps a gathering place for
mercantile or religious activity, perhaps also a fortified place of
refuge. Aerial photography has revealed many more tumuli under the
adjacent fields than have been excavated; most have been plowed flat.
The tumulus at Hirschlanden, south of Hochdorf, dates to the
Hallstatt period (6th c.). There the ring of stones around the
circumference of the tumulus and the statue that originally stood on
top have been preserved. A later stele (Late Hallstatt D-La
Tène A) was found nearby at Holzgerlingen. Further Hallstatt-period finds
have been made to the south and east, around Bad Cannstatt and
Ludwigsburg, in addition to the important early La
Tène princely tomb of the
Kleinaspergle. Finally, Roman-period sites include a
fascinating wood-fenced enclosure at Fellbach-Schmiden, apparently a
cultic temenos ("Viereckschanze") or an open-air temple
of the second century B.C.E.. The contents of a deep well shaft
inside the enclosure include monumental sculptures of stylized deer
and goat-like creatures rearing on their hind legs (see
Biel
1985, 339 ff.).
Strong evidence from the pattern of burials indicates continuity
of occupation of the
Hohenasperg and its surrounding countryside. Although the
archaeological record is extremely spotty -- as is to be expected in
an area that has been under intensive cultivation and construction
for centuries -- it contains material from the late Hallstatt period
through the transition to La Tène and into the La Tène
period proper. The relationship between the Hohenasperg and the
outlying burial areas may have changed over time, with the burials
moving in closer to the fortified hill settlement, but further
excavation must be undertaken to determine the precise sequence.
Hochdorf Tomb Chamber and
Finds.
Home
of tumuli, most of which have
not been excavated, ca. 10 km due west of the
Hohenasperg.
The latter, a six-hectare plateau ca. 100 m. above the gently-rolling
countryside, is visible from a great distance. Having been
continuously occupied since the Middle Ages, with many phases of
construction, some extending down to bedrock, it has not been
excavated and there appears to be no prospect of major archaeological
evidence to be found there. The Hohenasperg was most probably the
main seat of government of the popula
