In 1986-1987 and 2015 part of the main house of a villa was excavated in Worb, a bit to the east of Bern, at the locality Sunnhalde. It was built in the late second or early third century. It was destroyed by a fire in the last three decades of the third century.
Plan of the main house. North is to the left. Ramstein 1998, Abb. 2.
A sloping ramp led to a terrace in front of a porticus. The rooms were situated behind the porticus, which was flanked by tower-like projections. A room in the north-east corner must have been a dining room (G). It had a hypocaust for heating, a painted ceiling and painted walls. To the east was a corridor that may also have contained a staircase (B). On its walls red and black panels on a white background had been painted. The corridor led to a kitchen with a hearth in the centre (A) and to a room that was used for the storage of kitchen utensils and crockery (C2). From collapsed plaster was deduced that at least this part of the house had an upper storey. Amongst the finds were fragments of glass window panes.
Reconstruction of the villa. Ramstein 1998, Abb. 135.
Reconstruction of the north-east part of the house. Ramstein 1998, Abb. 133.
Literature
Ramstein 1998; Bacher-Amstutz 2016.
[18-Apr-2024]
