Zu Hausbefunden aus hallstatt- und latènezeitlichen Viereckanlagen in Süddeutschland

Abstract

House features from Hallstatt and La Tène square enclosures (oder wenn dieser Begriff für Viereckschanzen reserviert ist: rectangular enclosures/square ditched complexes) in Southern Germany.

Comparative studies of houses from square enclosures (s.o.) attempt to contribute to the question of function of Hallstatt and La Tène square enclosures (s.o.) in Southern Germany. There are clear differences in the building structure of the Hallstatt complexes which were interpreted as princely residences for a long time. The pallisade features which existed partly independently and partly attached to larger settlements, regularly contained one dwelling house and several outbuildings. They therefore seem to be enclosed farmsteads. In contrast to this the far more numerous single and double ditch systems especially had storage buildings and other small structures. Furthermore partly roofless structures came to light which presumably are associated with ritual buildings.
The late La Tène square enclosures are characterised by a regular and mostly well preserved building structure. Relatively large central buildings were located close to the rampart opposite to the entrance. In front of them there was a free space whereas especially close to the corners of the entrance side fenced fourpost-structures, smaller buildings with ambulatory and further miniature buildings and storage rooms were placed. Several analogies with structures from contemporary temple complexes indicate a ritual function at least for a part of the central buildings, the buildings with ambulatory and the fenced four-post-structures. The limits of present and potential of future interpretations are demonstrated by the results from two recently excavated late Hallstatt/early La Tène square enclosures (s.o.) in the immediate vicinity of the Celtic centre on the Ipf near Bopfingen.