The beginnings of underwater archaeology at Lake Constance

Showcase underwater archaeology

The beginnings of underwater archaeology at Lake Constance

The dream of underwater archaeology is an old one. irst attempts were made with wooden barrels, leather suits and diving helmets made of zinc sheets, the success of which left much to be desired. Around 1940 the two diving pioneers Hans Hass and Jacques Cousteau developed an underwater breathing apparatus. Originally intended for naval use, this new diving device allowed its users to breath underwater while having an almost unhindered mobility.

In 1952 the first underwater research group was founded at Lake Constance. Two years later, the photographic documentation of the pile dwellings in Unteruhldingen started with a camera placed in a waterproof casing. At the same time, the prehistoric underwater pile field was recorded using plastic drawing boards.

Plunging into the underwater world

This diving suit was developed specifically for use in Unteruhldingen in the 1950s. Particular attention was paid to the tightness of the cuffs and the diver’s freedom of movement. In 1967, an international patent was applied for a successor model with a full-body suit made of rubber and later in 1976 a German patent in Meersburg/Germany was also registered, under the number DE1976113U.

Textile rubber suit for diving purposes, by Eberhard Graf, Biberach, 1954, with fins, mask, snorkel and an underwater camera | APM

Inside the pile field

An underwater archaeologist documents the pile field of Unteruhldingen-Stollenwiesen. Every pile is both labeled and drawn by the scientist. He also takes wood samples for dating. He also takes wood samples for dating. By doing so, the temporal origins of the village can be explored house by house, jetty by jetty.

Since 1981 underwater archaeology has been conducted at Lake Constance for the purpose of preserving the prehistoric sites. Today, complex scientific methods are used to uncover the sediment layers within the lake.

Photo: Submaris on behalf of LAD

A look inside the history book of the pile dwellings

This book’s pages are made of muddy layers and are inscribed with valuable objects. In the absence of oxygen, unique information have been preserved for millennia.

Can you make out each of the individual layers? They highlight different time periods. The dark layers denote the presence of humans, whose fireplaces left behind charcoal and other organic materials. The light-colored layers formed during times without any human activity, when the lake deposited light-colored mud and gray sands naturally. This way, history can be followed at any pile dwelling settlement from bottom to top.

Varnish profile no. 1 | Wallhausen-Ziegelhütte | 3800 BC | ALM

Lake marl
Occupation layer with organic materials and charcoal
Lake marl

In the laboratory

The age of the occupation layers is determined in the laboratory. Remains of wood, charcoal or bones contained in the layers can be dated using various scientific methods. Sometimes, already known and dated artefacts can help. Bones allow conclusions to be drawn about the animals and people. The prehistoric climate and environment can be determined by examining plant remains under the microscope. These research results are the basis for the reconstruction of the pile dwelling settlements.

Photo: scanning electron microscope | stockadobe