The Wittnauer Horn, a hill in the north-west part of the canton, was used already in prehistory. In 1934-1935 the site was excavated by Gerhard Bersu, a German archaeologist who had fled his country. The Alemannic invasions from 259 AD prompted the residents of the area to build a wall that was at least four meters high, with a gate and towers. No Roman buildings have been discovered behind the wall. Apparently the facility was just a refuge for the population in the valley. The wall and towers were damaged by fire after just a few years. From 350 AD at the latest, the complex was no longer used by the Roman population.
Impression of the Wittnauer Horn. Photo: Kantonsarchäologie Aargau.
Model of the Wittnauer Horn. Photo: Ur-Schweiz 10,2 (1946), 40.
The main wall in 1934-1935. Photo: Fricktaler Museum, Rheinfelden.
The gate in 1934-1935. Photo: Fricktaler Museum, Rheinfelden.
Literature
Bersu 1945; Berger-Brogli 1980; Hartmann-Weber 1985, 212; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 561-562; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 291-292.
[1-Oct-2023]
