An artist's impression of a pile dwelling settlement at Lake Moossee in canton Bern around 3800-3650 BC.
Javier Alberich, Basel
A Neolithic sandal, made of oak bast, was found at a lakeside settlement at St Blaise / Bains des Dames in canton Neuchâtel during highway construction work.
Laténium / Yves André
A crystal arrowhead, dating from 3500 BC, was found during the construction of a cable car track in the centre of Neuchâtel in 1999.
Laténium
A loaf of bread dating from 3560-3530 BC was found at Twann, canton Bern, during the excavation of Neolithic settlements in 1976. It is thought to be the oldest known loaf of bread ever found in Europe.
Archaeological Service of Canton Bern
Divers bring a wooden pile to the surface after the discovery of the first pile dwelling settlement under Lake Lucerne that dates to around 1000 BC. Photo taken on April 22, 2021 in Lucerne.
Keystone / Urs Flueeler
A 5,000 year-old wooden comb found at a settlement at Zug Riedmatt in central Switzerland.
Museum für Urgeschichte Zug / Res Eichenberger
The “Wheel of Saint Blaise / Bains des Dames” dates to around 2600 BC. It is one of the oldest wheels in the world, discovered under lake sediment in canton Neuchâtel.
Laténium
Festival-goers dressed as pile dwellers for the 1882 Neuchâtel shooting festival.
Laténium, Hauterive
A painting of a pile dwelling settlement by Swiss artist Karl Jauslin (1842-1904).
Karl Jauslin
An artist's impression of a Bronze Age stilt village in the Lucerne region.
Joe Rohrer / Canton of Lucerne
Bronze ringlets have been found at many Bronze Age pile dwelling settlements. It is thought that such jewelry was used as a form of payment.
Bernisches Historisches Museum / Stefan Rebsamen
Wheel-shaped pendants were worn by Bronze Age lake dwellers, probably as symbols of the sun and as lucky charms.
Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum / Donat Stuppan
This ball of charred thread, made of hemp and lime tree fibres, was found at a pile dwelling site at Marin-Epagnier / Préfargier, canton Neuchâtel. It dates to around 3900 – 3300 BC.
Laténium
This Neolithic pot was found at Saint Aubin / Port-Conty, canton Fribourg, and dates to around 3800 BC.
Laténium
A bronze brooch dating from 900 – 800 BC, originally from Italy, was found at Mörigen on Lake Biel.
Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum / Donat Stuppan
Pile dwelling houses made out of wood, clay and straw were reconstructed in 2009 at Wauwil, canton Lucerne.
Keystone / Sigi Tischler
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