NORTH GERMANY.—(a) MECKLENBURG.
Lattmoor.—The discovery of lake-dwellings in North Germany dates back to the summer of 1863, when Dr. Lisch, Curator of the Antiquarian Museum at Schwerin, accompanied one Sergeant Büsch to inspect a peat bog at a place called Gägelow, in the vicinity of Wismar, where the latter reported that some stone implements had been found. Dr. Lisch recognised in this place the site of a lake-dwelling and looked upon the discovery as one of great importance. Soon afterwards Büsch, who was a member of the Antiquarian Society of Schwerin, and took an active part in collecting objects for the museum, ascertained that similar remains were often met with in the peat bog known as the Lattmoor, situated about a mile to the north of the town of Wismar. On the 4th July, 1864, Büsch so greatly astonished the members of the society with the number and variety of objects he placed before them that Dr. Lisch again accompanied him to this new field of discovery, and again came to the conclusion that it was the site of a true Pfahlbau. Sergeant Büsch, to whom the credit of these discoveries was undoubtedly due, became greatly elated over his successes, and continued to supply Dr. Lisch with the most extraordinary objects from this lake-dwelling, all of which were accepted without exciting the slightest suspicion that any of them had been falsified. In 1865 Dr. Lisch published an illustrated report of the Wismar lake-dwellings (B. 100), and the subject attracted much attention in archæological circles on account of their analogy to those in Switzerland. Shortly after the appearance of Lisch's work Dr. Lindenschmit, of Mayence, announced that certain objects included in a small collection which Büsch had sent to him were falsifications, and especially pointed out a bone comb and some other bone objects which undoubtedly came under this category. The doubts thus cast on the relics from the Wismar lake-dwelling became intensified when soon afterwards Büsch got into trouble in regard to some money matters, which ended in his being convicted and punished for forgery. Not only was there now doubt cast upon the genuineness of the entire relics, so much prized at the Schwerin Museum, but the very existence of the lake-dwelling was called in question. After this untoward event Dr. Lisch became more cautious and carefully inspected all the relics that had already come to the museum, the result of which was that Büsch had not only fabricated a considerable number, but also included real objects of antiquity found elsewhere as coming from the lake-dwelling. All the doubtful specimens were then carefully eliminated from the collection, and further investigations were undertaken by competent and trustworthy men, notably Messrs. Fromm and Mann of Wismar. The result of this inquiry was such as to leave no doubt whatever as to the genuineness of the Wismar lake-dwelling, as the same class of objects continued to be found after the disappearance of the unfortunate Büsch altogether from the scene. A couple of years later Dr. Lisch published a second report of the Wismar Pfahlbauten (B. 142), in which he notes those articles he considered to have been forgeries, chiefly objects of bone and horn, in his previous report, and incorporates the further discoveries. Since 1867 little peat-cutting has been carried on in this part of the moor, and the antiquities have correspondingly decreased. A final report of this lake-dwelling was, however, given in 1873, by Dr. Lisch, which in every respect confirms its previous character. (B. 242.) Professor Virchow, who also visited the locality and, with his usual critical acumen, investigated the whole matter, came to the conclusion that, notwithstanding Büsch's incomprehensible mystifications, the lake-dwelling at Wismar was undoubtedly trustworthy. (B. 165.)
I visited the Museum of Schwerin during the summer of 1888 for the express purpose of seeing these remains, and after a careful inspection of them I could not differ from the conclusions arrived at by Lisch and Virchow. Moreover, I had the assurance of Miss Buchheim, custodian of the antiquarian department, that there could be no doubt at all that the entire collection from Wismar now in the museum was as genuine as anything of the kind in Europe.
The lake-dwelling remains occupy a separate compartment in one of the wall-cases. Among those from Wismar are 32 flint hatchets and chisels more or less perfect ([Fig. 95], No. 6), three perforated stone axe-heads (Nos. 16 and 17), eight semilunar flint saws (Nos. 11 and 12), one or two arrow-points (No. 20), a flint dagger with handle (No. 10), some flint flakes and a number of polishers (No. 18). Of horn and bone there are many worked portions, among which are three perforated implements (No. 14), one perforated bead of amber, portions of piles and worked wood, and a large heap of bones. But, of course, all the objects have not come to this museum, as there are some described in Dr. Lisch's reports which have evidently found a resting-place in some other collections. Among the relics are not only large hollow polishing-stones and round rubbers, but also fragments of true querns or handmills, the presence of which appeared to have astonished Dr. Lisch, as he considered the latter to be of much later date than any of the other associated objects.
Of bronze only one socketed celt with side loop and portion of an arm band are mentioned.
The pottery was of a peculiar character, much broken and difficult to make out. One portion, which is here represented (No. 9), shows groups of lines running up and down the bulge of the vessel. A few clay spindle-whorls were also found.
Fig. 95.—Wismar and Gägelow (1 to 5, 7, 8, and 19).All 1⁄3 real size.
Among the osseous remains Professor Rütimeyer identified the following animals:—ox (Bos taurus and primigenius), sheep, goat, pig (Sus scrofa ferus and domesticus), stag, roe, horse, dog, beaver, rat, wild duck, seal, tortoise, and pike. A few human bones were also collected.
The site of this lake-dwelling is in the low ground known as the Lattmoor, a short distance to the north of the town of Wismar. Judging from the nature of the locality and its surroundings, all authorities are agreed that in prehistoric times it was the bed of an irregularly shaped lake, but of no great depth. The piles were found by the peat-cutters in a somewhat contracted portion some 260 yards to the south of the Muggenburg tile works. On excavating into the accumulated deposits of this basin the following layers were encountered:—(1) ordinary turf, about 5 feet; (2) a layer of alluvial mould, about 1 foot thick; (3) black muddy stuff, containing the remains of water plants for a depth of 10 feet. It was in the latter that rotten piles were detected, which penetrated its whole depth to the underlying glacial clay. These piles were about 10 feet long and 6 or 7 inches thick; and they were placed about 2 feet apart, with their present tops at least 6 feet below the surface of the bog. From the arrangement of the woodwork Dr. Lisch formed the opinion that the huts erected over them were both round and square, and he thought he recognised three of the former and two of the latter. The round huts had a diameter of 14 to 18 feet, and were placed at intervals of 6 to 8 feet. Horizontal beams were found both on the supposed sites of these huts and in the intervals. Leading from one of the huts to the shore there was a line of seven or eight large granite stones.
Gägelow.—The site of the Gägelow lake-dwelling, the first discovered in North Germany, is a small hollow near the seashore a few miles to the west of Wismar. This hollow contained a rich deposit of mould, which Herr Seidenschnur, the proprietor, was in the habit of utilising as manure for his fields. It appears that as early as 1861 some horn objects were found in the stuff taken out of this place, which, on being presented to the Museum at Schwerin, then led Dr. Lisch to make the suggestion of a lake-dwelling—a suggestion which was afterwards confirmed by his visit to the place in May, 1863.
By the removal of the mould from year to year, this hollow had been partially converted into its pristine aqueous condition, which, however, could hardly be dignified by the name of a lake, being nothing more than a pond, some 40 yards long by 30 broad. Here a semicircular area containing oak piles was detected, which measured about 22 feet in diameter. The piles were 7 to 10 feet long, and 7 to 8 inches thick, and interspersed among them were some horizontal beams. Associated with this wooden structure were found various kinds of antiquities—viz. four polished or chipped axes of flint ([Fig. 95], Nos. 2 and 3), two perforated axe-hammer heads of diorite (No. 4), a portion of a third (No. 7), and some flint daggers (No. 1) and flakes. A four-cornered mortar of grey basalt, 3½ inches high by 2½ broad (No. 8); the corners of this vessel are rounded, and its surface neatly polished. A hand-millstone or quern, 1 foot in diameter and 2½ inches thick, made of porous basalt: this quern had a hole in the centre, with two swallow-tail notches on each side for fixing the handle, and its under surface was worked into a series of narrow grooves, precisely similar to those of Roman and post-Roman times. There were also some spindle-whorls (No. 19), a portion of a clay weight, and fragments of dishes of black and red pottery, some of which had handles. The bones were all of the ordinary domestic animals.
Marine Pile-dwellings.—The spirit of antiquarian research aroused in the neighbourhood by these discoveries, led to the recognition of the remains of marine pile-dwellings (Meerpfahlbauten) in the bay of Wismar. Attention was first directed to this subject by Mr. Mann, who pointed out that for several years past flint hatchets, daggers, and knives, as well as various objects of horn and bone, and even bronze implements, were frequently turned up by the dredging machines used in the harbour. The matter, however, excited no interest among the workmen, and thus many valuable objects were re-deposited in deep water along with the dredged mud. It was reported that some bronze objects had been sold to the smith, Vossech, and melted; while others of stone and horn had been dispersed. It appears also that at a particular place called the Baumhaus piles of oak had been observed. In 1864 the workmen engaged at the dredging machines, having their attention called to the matter, reported the existence of piles at various places in the bay, one of which was between the shore and the little island Wallfisch, and the other close to the island Poel. One peculiar horn object which had been sent to the museum was supposed to have been a Taschenbügel or rim for a pouch. (B. 100, p. 101, and vol. xxix. p. 132.)
Bützow.—There was also, according to Dr. Lisch, a lake-dwelling in a turf moor called the "Sühring," near the town of Bützow. Here at a given place near the margin of the moor the peat-cutters were occasionally finding antiquities associated with piles, which, on being sent to the Schwerin Museum, led to the recognition of the true character of the find. Over 60 objects were collected, among which Dr. Lisch enumerates the following:—two round stone rubbers, three semilunar flint saws, a flint celt, a perforated axe-head, a bronze pin three and a half inches long, several objects of horn and bone, a piece of reindeer horn, and shells of hazel-nuts. (B. 142.)
Vimfou.—Dr. Weichmann-Kadow (B. 142) describes a lacustrine dwelling found in a small lake at Vimfou, near Goldberg. The lake was drained and converted into meadow land in 1865, and in its former bed three localities containing piles had been observed, only one of which, however, was subjected to any examination. This was near the middle of the lake, and the piles, which appeared to have been the foundations of a burnt-down hut, occupied a circular area about 12 feet in diameter. Inside the piled area were bits of burnt wood, charcoal, and some broken pottery and three whole vessels. Some of these vessels were well made and had handles and a style of ornamentation which corresponded with the early Iron Age. The only other remains were a few grinding stones (Quetschmühle), some small round pebbles supposed to have been used as draughtsmen, bits of bone, and the shells of hazel-nuts.