Ein Kachelofen des 10. Jahrhunderts aus Lausen-Bettenach (Kt. Basel-Landschaft / CH)

Abstract

The deserted mediaeval village Bettenach near Lausen in north-western Switzerland dates back to Roman times. It was settled continuously up to c. 1200. In Merovingian times a curtis – probably a royal court – was constructed comprising a large stone building followed by another building in c. 800. During an emergency excavation in 2014 remains of another stone building were discovered ideally situated between the Carolingian building and a Roman stone construction further uphill. This complex from the 10^th century contained additional rooms in wood and mixed construction within which a tiled stove fired from another room was constructed in c. 950 – so far the earliest certain evidence for this type of heating system. Only the undermost layers of this feature are preserved which is presented and interpreted in this contribution followed by considerations on the reconstruction and general derivation of the tiled stove, as an important »invention« of the Middle Ages.