Mondsee group
Encyclopedia
The Mondsee group was a neolithic
Austria
n Pile dwelling
culture spanning the period from roughly 3800 to 2800 BC, of particular interest due it's production of the characteristic "Mondsee-Copper" (arsenical copper
) , apparently the first in central Europe to emulate the Serbia
n Vinča culture
.
The 1854 chance discovery of a prehistoric lake village on Switzerland's Zürichsee triggered interest in neighboring countries, too, and pile dwellings with huge amount of artefacts were discovered by Matthäus Much from 1864 until the 1870s in two Austrian provinces, Carinthia
and Upper Austria
's Salzkammergut
where the lake Mondsee is situated.
The graph of calibrated radiocarbon dates shows a maximum range of 3800–2800 cal BC, but dating is problematic, the dates have a very large standard deviation.
Mondsee is sometimes seen as a “culture” in its own right or (usually) as a “group” within the Funnel Beaker culture/interaction sphere (TRB) of Central/Nortern Europe because its pottery and stone tools show affinities. It is suggested that the earliest Scandinavia
n copper is of Austrian origin. Much discussed is also Mondsee group's relationship with the Bavaria
n Altheim group
. Investigations whether its raw material was of local origin or imported are ongoing.
Ötzi the Iceman
had an axe made from Mondsee copper.
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...
Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n Pile dwelling
Stilt house
Stilt houses or pile dwellings or palafitte are houses raised on piles over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding, but also serve to keep out vermin...
culture spanning the period from roughly 3800 to 2800 BC, of particular interest due it's production of the characteristic "Mondsee-Copper" (arsenical copper
Arsenical copper
Arsenical copper contains up to 0.5% arsenic which, at elevated temperatures, imparts higher tensile strength and a reduced tendency to scaling. It is typically specified in boiler work, especially locomotive fireboxes. It also helps prevent embrittlement of oxygen free copper by bismuth, antimony...
) , apparently the first in central Europe to emulate the Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n Vinča culture
Vinca culture
The Vinča culture is a Neolithic archaeological culture in Southeastern Europe, dated to the period 5500–4500 BCE. Named for its type site, Vinča-Belo Brdo, a large tell settlement discovered by Serbian archaeologist Miloje Vasić in 1908, it represents the material remains of a prehistoric society...
.
The 1854 chance discovery of a prehistoric lake village on Switzerland's Zürichsee triggered interest in neighboring countries, too, and pile dwellings with huge amount of artefacts were discovered by Matthäus Much from 1864 until the 1870s in two Austrian provinces, Carinthia
Duchy of Carinthia
The Duchy of Carinthia was a duchy located in southern Austria and parts of northern Slovenia. It was separated from the Duchy of Bavaria in 976, then the first newly created Imperial State beside the original German stem duchies....
and Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
's Salzkammergut
Salzkammergut
The Salzkammergut is a resort area located in Austria. It stretches from City of Salzburg to the Dachstein mountain range, spanning the federal states of Upper Austria , Salzburg , and Styria . The main river of the region is the Traun, a tributary of the Danube...
where the lake Mondsee is situated.
The graph of calibrated radiocarbon dates shows a maximum range of 3800–2800 cal BC, but dating is problematic, the dates have a very large standard deviation.
Mondsee is sometimes seen as a “culture” in its own right or (usually) as a “group” within the Funnel Beaker culture/interaction sphere (TRB) of Central/Nortern Europe because its pottery and stone tools show affinities. It is suggested that the earliest Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n copper is of Austrian origin. Much discussed is also Mondsee group's relationship with the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n Altheim group
Altheim culture
Altheim culture is the name given to an Chalcolithic culture that picks its name from Altheim, Biberach, extending in southern Germany and parts of Bohemia. It is a subgoup of Lengyel culture and it overlaps with Michelsberg culture....
. Investigations whether its raw material was of local origin or imported are ongoing.
Ötzi the Iceman
Ötzi the Iceman
Ötzi the Iceman , Similaun Man, and Man from Hauslabjoch are modern names for a well-preserved natural mummy of a man who lived about 5,300 years ago. The mummy was found in September 1991 in the Ötztal Alps, near Hauslabjoch on the border between Austria and Italy. The nickname comes from the...
had an axe made from Mondsee copper.