This settlement, known as Moosseedorf, was situated in the marsh
of Münchenbuchsee, about seven miles from Bern. The small lake of
this name is now nothing more than a moorland tarn, surrounded by
meadow-land and peat bogs. It is of an oblong form, having its
greatest axis (east to west) corresponding with that of the valley.
During the winter of 1855-6, in consequence of a canal made for
agricultural purposes, its usual level was lowered some eight feet,
and thus a considerable portion of its peaty bed became exposed, and
for the first time divulged the existence of two prehistoric pile
dwellings, one at each end of the lake. The western, which was more
satisfactorily investigated, owing to its site becoming dry land,
proved to be a small parallelogram 70 by 55 feet. This area was
occupied with piles of entire or split stems of oak and other woods,
and leading from it and running to the shore, there was a kind of
faggot roadway of branches. The relics were found among the piles
and underneath a stratum of mud, containing the roots of reeds and
water-plants. This relic-bed varied in thickness from 5 inches to
2 feet, and contained stones, gravel, bones, charcoal, etc., lying
immediately over the shell-marl. The piles penetrated into this
shell-marl, but no relics were found in it. During the succeeding ten
years after its discovery, these settlements and their industrial
remains were carefully examined by Messrs. Jahn, Morlot, and Dr.
Uhlmann. (B. 19, 22, 34, 40, 126.)
The relics, most of which are deposited in the Bern Museum, include
a large assortment of industrial remains:--40 stone celts (four of
which are of nephrite), a number of stones perforated, and one stone
spindle-whorl; flint saws in handles; arrow-points of bone, flint (one
with barbs), and rock crystal; harpoons; horn fastenings for celts,
some with a bifurcated end; three horn cups, all with a round hole at
the edge; needles, gouges, chisels, and pointers of bone; a comb made
of yew, a fish-hook made of boar's tusk, a skate from the leg-bone of
the horse, pieces of cloth and string, bits of wood perforated as for
net-floats, rolls of birch-bark, etc.
Fragments of pottery had perforated knobs for suspension, and some
of them indicated large vessels--about 16 or 17 inches in diameter.
In 1868 Dr. Uhlmann found a fragment of pottery having a perforated
knob, and alongside of it, evidently for ornamentation, there were
triangular bits of birch-bark plastered over the surface with asphalt.
(B. 336, p. 37.) (=Fig. 184=, No. 5.)
Two portions of stone sawn off show that the art of sawing this
material was then known.
According to Dr. Uhlmann's analysis of its flora and fauna the
following species were identified:--
_Flora._--Barley, wheat (_Trit. vulg._ and _compactum_), pea, poppy,
and flax (_L. angust_.); also the water-chestnut (_Trapa natans_).
_Fauna._--Among domestic animals were the dog, sheep, and various
kinds of ox. A few bones of the horse were also found among the
osseous remains, but as it is not yet certain that the horse was
domesticated in the Stone Age, these might belong to the wild species.
The remains of wild animals showed:--Bear, badger, polecat, marten,
wild cat, otter, fox, hedgehog, beaver, hare, squirrel, fieldmouse,
marsh pig, wild boar, elk, stag, roe, ox (_Bos prim._), bison, several
kinds of falcons, owl, wild pigeon, crow, partridge, heron, stork,
sea-gull, wild duck, and teal; also those of the tortoise, frog, toad,
perch, carp, pike, and salmon. (B. 284.)