Sanctuary at Demlfeld

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The sanctuary at Demlfeld is an archaeological site in Tyrol that is assigned to the Iron Age .

As early as 2002, the ARCHAEOTIROL association at Demlfeld in Ampass near Innsbruck carried out very successful but small-scale excavations at the sanctuary that had just been discovered . When it became known that the entire property was to be built on, the association was entrusted by the Federal Monuments Office to carry out monument protection excavations on an area of ​​875 m² there in 2006 and 2007.

The excavations produced a hitherto unknown type of sanctuary, which was unusually on an almost flat surface, while otherwise fire altars were usually erected on knolls. Altar 1 consisted of a neatly placed pavement made of flat pebbles, covered several tiled surfaces and was thus multiphase. However, there were hardly any remains of burning rites on the surfaces, neither calcined bones nor significant pieces of charred wood. Accordingly, the low incineration place was always neatly cleaned. But where the incendiary ashes ended up remains open.

Altar 2, on the other hand, showed a completely different design: a rounded, rectangular, low stone surround surrounded the burned area, which also had several phases. As a penultimate measure, a post hole was sunk in the middle of the area that was bricked by the fires and later filled again. In any case, huge amounts of animal parts must have been burned there, because to the south of the altar there were ashes and calcined animal bones as an approximately 20–30 cm thick layer of overburden.

Regarding the chances of finding such low altars, it should be noted that they could not be made out above ground. However, they would have been clearly visible in a geophysical survey using both the georadar and the cesium gradiometer . These inconspicuous structures would certainly have gone undetected during excavation work.

The oldest consecration offerings date from around 600 BC. BC, the youngest from the early Roman Empire. The sanctuary was particularly richly endowed with valuable offerings. The more than 2000 objects, such as jewelry or ritual implements - apart from the animal parts and goods made of organic material - are spread over about 600 years, and that would - theoretically calculated - 3.3 objects per year that were divested. Surprisingly, most of the finds belonged to the female sphere.

The highly stylized depiction of a woman made of sheet bronze is particularly significant: another figure has been cut into the body. What is meant is the portrayal of a pregnant woman.

Our own sanctuaries like the one at Demlfeld naturally shed clear light on the role and rank of women in “ Raetian ” society. In addition, the property relationships that can be developed also prove the autonomous legal status.

literature

  • Peter Anreiter, Sulla celticità del nome Ampass. In: Carlo De Simone / Simona Marchesini (eds.), La Lamina di Demlfeld. Mediterranea Supplemento 8 (Pisa, Roma 2013) pp. 39–43.
  • Ramona Blecha, Die Armreife des Heiligtums Ampass-Demlfeld [Bachelor thesis Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck 2009].

Ramona Blecha, The neck, ring and pendant jewelry of the Ampass-Demlfeld sanctuary [Master thesis Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck 2012].

  • Ramona Blecha, Mediterranean impulses in the alpine region. In: L. Kreiner (Ed.), Symposium 02/27 - 03/01/2014 Sacrifice and festival sites from the Bronze Age to the La Tène Age. Archeology in the district of Dingolfing-Landau 5, 2016 (Rahden / Westf. 2018) pp. 37–55.
  • Daniel Brandner, The bronze sheet metal belts of the Ampass-Demlfeld shrine [Bachelor thesis Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck 2014].
  • Carlo De Simone and Simona Marchesini (eds.), La lamina di Demlfeld. Mediterranea Supplemento 8 (Pisa, Roma 2013) 11-16.
  • Carlo De Simone, Analisi linguistica. In: Carlo De Simone and Simona Marchesini (eds.), La lamina di Demlfeld. Mediterranea Supplemento 8 (Pisa, Roma 2013) 55-71.
  • Sabine Gruber, Reinhold Lachberger, Amei Lang, Helga Marchart, Franco Marzatico, Moritz Neuner, Siegfried Nicolussi Castellan, Andreas Putzer, Martin Schönfelder, Gerhard Tomedi: An Iron Age Deposit at Demlfeld in Ampass in ArchaeoTirol, Kleine Schriften 4 (Wattens 2002) p. 139-183.
  • Sabine Gruber, The fire victims place on Demlfeld in Ampass. The ceramics from the 2002 excavation campaign [Bachelor thesis Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck 2008].
  • Sabine Gruber, The Fritzener bowls from the Iron Age sanctuary on Demlfeld in Ampass. [Master thesis Leopold Franzens University Innsbruck 2011].
  • Simon Hye, studies on the Iron Age sanctuary at Demlfeld near Ampass, North Tyrol. Findings, chronology and chorology of the primers [diploma thesis Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck 2009].
  • Simon Hye 2013a: S. Hye, I mareriali datanti. In: Carlo De Sirnone and Simona Marchesini (eds.), La lamina di Demlfeld. Mediterranea Supplemenro 8 (Pisa, Roma 2013) pp. 23–29.
  • Simon S. Hye, The Iron Age sanctuary on Demlfeld near Ampass, Tyrol. In: Harald Stadler, Sarah Leib and Gamon (eds.), Burnt offer places in the Alps. The disc chair in Nenzing. Praearchos 3 (= Nenzing series 6) (Innsbruck 2013) pp. 49–58.
  • Simon Hye, On the design of shrines in the area around Innsbruck. Temenoi, periboloi, altars, presentation poles and tropaia. In: L. Kreiner (Ed.), Symposium 02/27 - 03/01/2014 Sacrifice and festival sites from the Bronze Age to the La Tène Age. Archeology in the district of Dingolfing-Landau 5, 2016 (Rahden / Westf. 2018) pp. 58–79.
  • Simona Marchesini, Descrizione epigrafica della lamina. In: Carlo De Simone / Simona Marchesini (eds.), La Lamina di Demlfeld. Mediterranea Supplemento 8 (Pisa / Roma 2013) pp. 45–53.
  • Simona Marchesini, Considerazioni storico-linguistiche. In: Carlo De Simone / Simona Marchesini (eds.), La Lamina di Demlfeld. Mediterranea Supplemento 8 (Pisa, Roma 2013) pp. 73–89.
  • Ulrike Töchterle, Topografia archeologica del villaggio Ampass. In: Carlo De Simone / Simona Marchesini (eds.), La Lamina di Demlfeld. Mediterranea Supplemento 8 (Pisa, Roma 2013) pp. 17-21.
  • Gerhard Tomedi, Simon Hye, Reinhold Lachberger, Siegfried Nicolussi Castellan: Monument protection excavations at the sanctuary at Demlfeld in Ampass 2006. A preliminary report in ArchaeoTirol, Kleine Schriften 5 (Wattens 2006) pp. 116-122.
  • Gerhard Tomedi, The Mistresses of the Alps. Archeology in Germany 3, 2008, 54–58.
  • Gerhard Tomedi, Raetian women. In: Jennifer M. Beagley, Christina Eggl, Daniel Neumann and Michael Schefzik (eds.), Alps, Cult and Iron Age. Festschrift for Amei Lang on his 65th birthday. International Archeology - Studia Honoria 30 (Rahden / Westf. 2009) pp. 271–287.
  • Gerhard Tomedi, Il luogo di culto di Demlfeld presso Ampass. In: C. De Simone and S. Marchesini (eds.), La lamina di Demlfeld. Mediterranea Supplemento 8 (Pisa, Roma 2013) pp. 11–16.

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Coordinates: 47 ° 15 ′ 34 "  N , 11 ° 27 ′ 48"  E