DE-BW-15

Aerial view of the Federsee area, in which the site is located © Landesamt für Denkmalpflege Baden Württemberg im Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart (LAD)

  Bad Buchau  |     Siedlung Forschner

Short description
The Siedlung Forschner (“Forschner Settlement”) is nestled in the southern marches of the Federsee and was named after its discoverer, Heinrich Forschner. He was the dentist of Biberach and a local historian who conducted early probes and excavations in the 1920’s. This was followed by excavations by E. Wall in the 1950’s, and by the Tübingen bureau of the Baden-Württemberg Department of Antiquities and Monuments in 1975. In cooperation with the Württemberg State Museum and the support of the German Research Foundation (DFG), the Department conducted extensive examinations from 1983 to 1989. The first settlement phase of the site dates to the Early Bronze Age, and a second, more pronounced phase, to the Middle Bronze Age. The majority of the artifacts recovered belong to the Hügelgräber-Kultur (“Tumulus Culture”), which indicate wide-ranging social and economic contacts.

Bronze Age

1767-1730 B.C., 1600 B.C. , 1519-1481 B.C.

Federsee Lake District

580 m.a.s.l.

Size of the site 3,45 ha / approx. 5 soccer pitches

Size of the bufferzone 285,14 ha / approx. 399 soccer pitches

Special features & highlights
This easily defendable site is the only fortified Middle Bronze Age Settlement preserved in a bog, north of the Alps. Its settlement structure is unique in the area, with parallels found in distant Danube regions. Large parts of the archaeological layers remain protected and undisturbed in the ground.

Various bronze Artifacts: Flanged axe heads, lance point, dagger point, cloak pins (from left to right) and rolled wire (bottom left)) © P. Frankenstein, H. Zwietasch / Landesmuseum Württemberg

Current activities
The site is located in the undeveloped natural preserve of the southern Federsee marches. Efforts to raise the groundwater level have been made, and the Department of Antiquities and Monuments conducts monthly readings and monitors the situation.

Pile dwellings up close
The site can be visited individually. A sign trail is on site.
Selected finds can be visited here:

Federseemuseum
August-Gröber-Platz 2,
88422 Bad Buchau
to the website

Landesmuseum Württemberg
Altes Schloss,
Schillerpl. 6,
70173 Stuttgart
to the website

Museum Biberach
Museumstraße 6,
88400 Biberach an der Riß
to the website