Neue Zürcher Zeitung from 25 2. 2011
For the first time Wheels
Under the title "New Stone Age in Transition "dedicated to an exhibition of the Badische Landesmuseum in Karlsruhe castle known as Michel Berger culture. The show also conveys a sense of what daily life in Europe looked like 6,000 years ago.
By Cornelia Isler-Kerényi
In a letter from his Prussian colleague of 20 October 1884, Ernst Wagner, the Grand Ducal Baden Conservator of Antiquities, the discovery of ancient shards when reported on a picturesque hill near Grombach lying Michael Chapel. You are the occasion for an exhibition at the Karlsruhe Palace, which is linked thematically to that of the sensational discoveries vorneolithischen in eastern Turkey.
from the excavations that began in 1888 and other similar discoveries in Central Europe is emerging is the Neolithic from about 4300-3500 BC Michel Berger datable culture. As in the catalog clearly stated, however, should not in prehistoric context, the term "culture" are used uncritically and understood. Where that is only material, usually even only inorganic is available, any clue about the language and world view is lacking, it is difficult to decide whether indicate similarities or differences in the archaeological record on "economic and transport facilities, cultural facilities, wedding parties, garage parties or technology areas" . Material witness Michel Berger culture is, in addition to animal horns and bones, and various stone tools, hand formed simple ceramics, stained differently by the fire, sometimes with Ritz geometric patterns decorated and amazingly rich in forms is: In addition to storage vessels of considerable scope, there are different pots, bowls and drinking vessels. Advance are the typical elegant tulip cups, which can be decorated with a pearl chain attached Knubbenleisten.
The limited material base also makes the interpretation of the most striking feature of Michel Berger culture, earthworks, controversial. This is the limit-populated in part, of varying scope of land by an approximately oval-shaped system of earth graves, or sequences of pits, and low of formed from the excavation walls, in places by bridges impassable or have been reinforced by wooden palisades. A concrete image provides an introduction to the issue of actual-size model of access to such an earthwork. Did these systems of defense, or ceremonial purposes as Viehkrale? For a ritual function in any case says the funds carefully deposited ceramics, animal bones and raw and unused, in the silex blades imported from far away Grave in the sole of the model shown earthworks at Bruchsal, "Aue" in Karlsruhe. All three of these uses are also possible at the same time. It is significant in any case that is now circumscribed country a special significance was determined with ideas.
The dimensions of these exchanges, it is hard to imagine otherwise than that they were jointly planned and executed. This in turn presupposes the existence of certain social structures. Because are detected in the culture today Michel Berger neither outstanding nor grave cemeteries plants, but usually only pits with a large number of skeletons, it is rather egalitarian organized Societies. The formation of hierarchies, ie the protruding economically and socially dominant characters seems to be only with the use of the metals to be passed along to say first of copper. In a changing society in any case also indicated the changing settlement patterns in short time intervals.
It deserves to be emphasized here that not only the rich, attractive catalog, but also the special exhibition, Michel Berger culture not as a , the Baden country characteristic phenomenon present, but represent more decidedly in their environmental, geographical and temporal context and appear to be dynamic and multifaceted. It is understandable, as it has evolved from earlier phases of agriculture and domestication made possible by sedentary lifestyles and some of those different, which have flourished at the same time at the lake shores of the foothills. These are for research and for the audience-presentation preference, even on organic material - have, what makes a true picture of life at that time - Bast, textiles, wood and bark. In the second part of the show are accordingly numerous finds from excavations to marvel at in Switzerland.
lakes and rivers were known until 150 years ago by far the most important communications, transport and transport routes to larger distances. So the earthworks of Michel Berger culture were usually close to water courses. Nevertheless, the invention of the wheel was not only practically important because it as the harvesting easier, but probably also as a manifestation of human ingenuity. However, it now seems doubtful that this invention is a one-on shortly after 3500 BC in Mesopotamia datable event, radiating north and west. Even in Eastern and Central Europe Go depictions of cars - as well as the oldest known ruts in Schleswig-Holstein - on the second half of the 4th Millennium back. To illustrate the wheel here from Zurich Riesbach be seen, which is also dated to around 3200 BC, and the reconstruction of a Neolithic car that inspired the exhibition.
The expansion of the horizon to the east are some already on the last time before 4000 BC, declining hoards from Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria and Hungary. They document the Penetration of metal technology to Central Europe and a growing appreciation for copper, gold and then silver as status symbols. The catalog Pfahlbauromantik forms in the paintings of the 19th Century, the financial statements. This will realize how much the required archaeological research and the presentation of their results, the ongoing critical review of modern projections onto the past - and profit from it too.
Neolithic in transition. Baden State Museum in Karlsruhe. To 15 May 2011. Catalog (Primus Verlag, Darmstadt) € 39 -.
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