This villa is located in the small forest Schalchmatthau, to the east of Oberlunkhofen, some 11 kilometers to the south-west of Zürich. It was excavated in 1897-1900 by two teachers, B. Küng and S. Meier. The site was restored in 1979-1981.
A watercolour of the site as it appeared in 1897. Photo: information panel.
The teachers B. Küng and S. Meier during the excavation. Photo: information panel.
View of the east part of the villa. Photo: Erlebnis Freiamt.The villa (40 x 26 m.) was erected 130 meters above the valley of the Reuss. For the walls stones, tufa and tiles were used. The villa had a porticus on the north and south side, the latter flanked by tower-like projections. In the east part bathing rooms were installed. Several rooms, also at the west end, had raised floors and heating pipes set against the walls. In many rooms fragments of plaster were found with lines of various colours, mostly on a white background. Nearby were two annexes (not on the plan), one a single room measuring 13.20 x 10.10 m., the other 120 meters to the south.
Plan of the villa. Meier 1901, Taf. XIII.
A small millstone, countless sherds (also of glass) and many metal objects were found, the most notable find being a bronze statuette of Bacchus, 13 centimeters high. Human skeletons were found in rooms VIII, X, XII and XIV.
One of the skeletons. Meier 1901, Fig. 63.
The statuette of Bacchus. Image: Hartmann-Weber 1985, 191.Coins and pottery indicate that the villa was built in the middle of the first century. It was destroyed by a fire around the middle of the third century. The finds were taken to the Vindonissa Museum in Brugg and the Landesmuseum in Zürich.
Reconstruction of the villa. From the information panel.
Literature
Meier 1901; Drack 1950, 102; Hartmann-Weber 1985, 191-192; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 459; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 195-196.
[24-Aug-2023]
