In the 9th century BC, the climate in Europe changed. It became colder and wetter. Heat-loving plants such as foxtail millet no longer grew. The pile-dwelling people therefore intensified the cultivation of barley, spelt, oats, opium poppies and legumes. To do so, they cleared almost the entire riverside landscape, pushing the forest back to the riverbanks and up the hills. Scientists believe this was due to the over-exploitation of natural resources and soil depletion.

The water level of Lake Constance rose sharply, as did that of other lakes in the Alpine foothills. This led to a flood of biblical proportions. Living conditions in the immediate lakeside area deteriorated within a very short time. Between 850 and 847 BC, the pile-dwelling people abandoned their settlements by the lake. This is confirmed by dendrochronological data, not only at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Unteruhldingen-Stollenwiesen.

Life shifted inland. New farmsteads and villages sprang up about one to two kilometres from the lake. Economic practices changed, with livestock farming gaining in importance. The Bronze Age was now followed by the Iron Age, or Hallstatt period. This is evidenced by the numerous burial mounds near the inland settlements.

Hilltop forts and ramparts, together with magnificent burial sites, point to a profound social transformation. These sites are also the subject of archaeological investigations and provide insights into the region’s history.

 

Flooded Houses

2,900 years ago, the climate changed. Lake Constance suddenly rose. Very quickly. First, the lakeside paths were flooded; soon after, the platforms and floors of the pile-dwelling houses. Rivers and streams also burst their banks. The people in the settlements had no choice but to pack their belongings and move inland, some distance from the lake. Some families also boarded their dugout canoes and built themselves a new home somewhere else entirely. Have you ever moved house?