Spectacular finds from Kleinbasel

Basel, AD 1615 - a bird's eye view of Kleinbasel

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In 1615 Matthäus Merian created this bird’s eye view of the city. It is one of the earliest and most detailed depictions of Basel. When archaeological features come to light, we can consult this plan for information about buildings that have long been demolished. It also includes many of the buildings that are still in existence today. Reworked by Peter von Holzen.

Attested to by archaeological finds and features:
1. Working pit with fragments of moulds for casting bells
2. Canal junction
3. Canal wall
4. Abutment of the bridge across the canal
5. Canal wall
6. Canal wall
7. Countermure outside of the city wall
8. The “Kenel” canal ran through the Riehentor gate into the city
9. Canal
10. Canal
11. Riehentor gate with forebuilding
12. Municipal sawmill
13. Bark mill

Why are we excavating?

To incorporate the Wettstein quarter into the district heating system, extensive construction work has to be undertaken. This work is being monitored by the Archaeological Service.

The excavation results

So far, 18 early medieval burials have come to light in the narrow pipe trenches. While we have known of the existence of an early medieval cemetery at Riehentorstrasse since the 19th century, the new discoveries have provided information about its actual size. Some of the deceased were buried with luxurious grave goods; a young girl, for instance, was laid to rest with approximately 380 glass and amber beads, and a woman’s remains were found with a gold brooch. Others, however, were interred without any grave goods but in graves lined with massive stone slabs. Overall, the graves bear witness to the fact that the deceased were given elaborate burials.

It is not just the graves and grave goods that provide information about the dead; the skeletons themselves also tell some fascinating stories and allow the experts to find out more about the age, the state of health and the potential injuries of the deceased. The skeleton of a swordsman, for instance, which bears a healed slash wound to the face, tells us about the dangers that existed at the time and also shows how knowledgeable early medieval doctors were. While such a serious injury would have disfigured a person for life, it was not necessarily fatal.

The oldest evidence, however, does not date from the Early Middle Ages. A small number of finds show us that people have lived here since Roman times and probably even since the Bronze Age.

The Late Middle Ages and the early modern period also left behind traces. Several sections of the «Riehedyych», a medieval canal, and various saw, bark and flour mills uncovered by the excavations attest to the continuous modernisation of the quarter. The Riehentor gate and individual remains of the once monumental city wall were also documented. They provide us with important new insight into the late medieval city fortifications.

A girl with beads

Basel, c. AD 580
Died young – buried with rich furnishings

Apart from a belt buckle with gold inlay and a small bag or purse, the severely disturbed grave of a c. 12-year-old girl contained a large number of beads. It was rather unusual for such a young girl to be buried with so many beads.

The early medieval beads were made of glass, amber and mother-of-pearl. Some had been traded over vast distances, possibly from as far away as India or Southeast Asia. The beads were either part of one or several necklaces or were perhaps sewn onto the girl’s clothing.

A precious grave offering: a gold brooch

Basel, early 7th century AD
The art of goldsmithing

This gold brooch from the grave of a c. 40-year-old woman served as a cloak fastener. Its decorations made of gold wire with inlays of blue glass and light-green garnets attest to the specialist skills of early medieval goldsmiths. 

Besides the gold brooch, the 7th century grave contained other pieces of precious jewellery and dress accessories, including 160 beads, parts of belts, a châtelaine with perforated Roman coins and a decorative leather strap with cruciform mounts. The rich furnishings attest to the high social standing of the deceased.

A comb and a pair of scissors

Basel, late 6th century AD
A richly furnished boy’s grave

Large belt mounts with metal inlay, a comb and a pair of scissors were placed in the grave of this 5 to 9-year-old boy. 

The metal belt mount was decorated with inlay consisting of metal of a different colour. Inlays used in similar finds were often made of light-coloured silver or brass, which stood out against the darker coloured iron, making them look particularly attractive. A bone comb and a pair of scissors were found near the right upper arm of the child. The items had been wrapped in a coarse type of fabric before being placed in the grave.

A swordsmen

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Basel, 8th century AD

The stone slab grave of a man was uncovered during the excavation. Such graves, also known as stone cists, were typical of the 8th century and are often devoid of grave goods. They are generally presumed to have been used by the upper classes to bury their dead. The skull of the tall man bore evidence of a severe and potentially fatal slash wound to the face. Anthropological analysis, however, showed that the man survived the injury! His wound was carefully attended to and healed very well. While such serious injuries would have disfigured a person for life, they were not necessarily fatal. Photo: Philippe Saurbeck.

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The current excavations have so far brought to light 18 early medieval burials. Plan: Peter von Holzen.

Suggested reading

Find out more about the results of the excavation (in German only).

Coverstory «Das Mädchen mit den Perlen» im Jahresbericht 2021