Horgen culture
Encyclopedia
The Horgen culture is one of several archaeological culture
s belonging to the Neolithic
period of Switzerland
. The Horgen culture may derive from the Pfyn culture
and early Horgen pottery is similar to the earlier Cortaillod culture
pottery of Twann
, Switzerland. It is named for one of the principal sites, in Horgen
, Switzerland.
, but it may have reached farther north along the Rhine River. It may have had ties to the French Seine-Oise-Marne culture
.
Sites include Horgen, Hauterive
-Champréves, Eschenz
and Zürich
.
At Feldmeilen
-Vorderfeld and Meilen
on the right bank of Lake Zurich
near Zürich, four layers of Pfyn culture
artifacts (4350-3950 BC calibrated) are followed by five Horgen culture (3350-2950 BC) layers were found at Feldmeilen. In nearby Meilen, one Pfyn layer (4250-4000 BC) followed by three Horgen (3300-2500 BC) layers were discovered.
and early Baden culture
. The middle phase (found at Naschdorf-Strandbad, Lake Constance and Dullenried, Federsee
) may be influenced by more westerly traditions. The final Horgen phase exhibits similarities to the Burgerroth, Wartberg
, and Goldberg III cultures.
The pottery was less refined and decorated than the earlier Cortaillod culture. However, the flint industry was well developed and produced elegant stone tools.
Pigs became increasing important during the Horgen era. Pig bones were the most common bones found in the village midden
heaps, accounting for up to 70% of all bones.
Archaeological culture
An archaeological culture is a recurring assemblage of artifacts from a specific time and place, which are thought to constitute the material culture remains of a particular past human society. The connection between the artifacts is based on archaeologists' understanding and interpretation and...
s belonging to the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
period of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. The Horgen culture may derive from the Pfyn culture
Pfyn culture
The Pfyn Culture is one of several archaeological cultures of the Neolithic period in Switzerland. It dates from c. 3900 BC to c. 3500 BC.-Discovery:...
and early Horgen pottery is similar to the earlier Cortaillod culture
Cortaillod culture
The Cortaillod culture is one of several archaeologically defined cultures belonging to the Neolithic period of Switzerland. The Cortaillod Culture in the west of the region is contemporary with the Pfyn Culture...
pottery of Twann
Twann
Twann was a municipality in the district of Nidau in the canton of Bern in Switzerland. On 1 January 2010 the municipalities of Tüscherz-Alfermée and Twann merged into the municipality of Twann-Tüscherz.-Geography:...
, Switzerland. It is named for one of the principal sites, in Horgen
Horgen
Horgen is a village in the district of Horgen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.It is one of the larger towns along the south bank of the Lake of Zurich.- History :Horgen is also the type-site of Switzerland's middle Neolithic archaeological culture...
, Switzerland.
Dates
The Horgen culture started around 3500/3400 cal BC and lasting until 2850 cal BC. Tree ring dates range from 3370 – 2864 BC.Distribution
The Horgen core area is in Northern Switzerland and Southwest Germany near Lake ConstanceLake Constance
Lake Constance is a lake on the Rhine at the northern foot of the Alps, and consists of three bodies of water: the Obersee , the Untersee , and a connecting stretch of the Rhine, called the Seerhein.The lake is situated in Germany, Switzerland and Austria near the Alps...
, but it may have reached farther north along the Rhine River. It may have had ties to the French Seine-Oise-Marne culture
Seine-Oise-Marne culture
The Seine-Oise-Marne or SOM culture is the name given by archaeologists to the final culture of the Neolithic and first culture of the Chalcolithic in northern France and southern Belgium....
.
Sites include Horgen, Hauterive
Hauterive, Neuchâtel
Hauterive is a municipality in the district of Neuchâtel in the Français canton of Neuchâtel.-History:Hauterive is first mentioned about 1148 as arta ripa. The village's beginnings were first recorded in 1443 when monks founded the monastery Fontaine-André.-Geography:Hauterive has an area, , of...
-Champréves, Eschenz
Eschenz
Eschenz is a municipality in Frauenfeld District in the canton of Thurgau in Switzerland.-History:The prehistoric shore village on Werd Island and in the Seeäckern area are rich archeological sites that have contributed substantially to our understanding of the history of settlements in the...
and Zürich
Zürich
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
.
At Feldmeilen
Feldmeilen
Feldmeilen is a village within the municipality of Meilen in the canton of Zurich in Switzerland.-Geography:Feldmeilen is located in the district of Meilen in the Pfannenstiel region on the northwestern shore of the Zürichsee between Zürich and Rapperswil.-Demographics, Education and...
-Vorderfeld and Meilen
Meilen
Meilen is a municipality in the district of Meilen in the canton of Zürich in Switzerland.- History :Archaeological findings in Meilen date back more than 4,000 years. In January 1854 the level of lake Zürich was particularly low and the locals took the chance to gain some land...
on the right bank of Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich is a lake in Switzerland, extending southeast of the city of Zurich. It is also known as Lake Zürich and Lake of Zürich. It lies approximately at co-ordinates ....
near Zürich, four layers of Pfyn culture
Pfyn culture
The Pfyn Culture is one of several archaeological cultures of the Neolithic period in Switzerland. It dates from c. 3900 BC to c. 3500 BC.-Discovery:...
artifacts (4350-3950 BC calibrated) are followed by five Horgen culture (3350-2950 BC) layers were found at Feldmeilen. In nearby Meilen, one Pfyn layer (4250-4000 BC) followed by three Horgen (3300-2500 BC) layers were discovered.
Traits
There were three phases of pottery; early, middle and late. The early pottery exhibits an affinity with the Pfyn and maybe the Cortaillod at Twann, Switzerland. The spindle whorls on the pottery may indicate connections to the southern Funnelbeaker cultureFunnelbeaker culture
The Funnelbeaker culture, short TRB from Trichterbecherkultur is the principal north central European megalithic culture of late Neolithic Europe.- Predecessor and successor cultures :...
and early Baden culture
Baden culture
Baden culture, ca 3600 BC-ca 2800 BC, an eneolithic culture found in central Europe. It is known from Moravia, Hungary, Slovakia and Eastern Austria...
. The middle phase (found at Naschdorf-Strandbad, Lake Constance and Dullenried, Federsee
Federsee
Federsee is a lake located just north of Bad Buchau in the region of Upper Swabia in Southern Germany. It is surrounded by moorland, partially overgrown with reeds. With a size of 33 km² , the area is one of the largest, groundwater fed, connected moorlands in Southern Germany. At its deepest...
) may be influenced by more westerly traditions. The final Horgen phase exhibits similarities to the Burgerroth, Wartberg
Wartberg culture
The Wartberg culture , sometimes: Wartberg group or Collared bottle culture is a prehistoric culture of the later Central European Neolithic...
, and Goldberg III cultures.
The pottery was less refined and decorated than the earlier Cortaillod culture. However, the flint industry was well developed and produced elegant stone tools.
Pigs became increasing important during the Horgen era. Pig bones were the most common bones found in the village midden
Midden
A midden, is an old dump for domestic waste which may consist of animal bone, human excrement, botanical material, vermin, shells, sherds, lithics , and other artifacts and ecofacts associated with past human occupation...
heaps, accounting for up to 70% of all bones.