On the hill Müschhag, about 1500 meters to the south-east of Laufen, excavations of a villa were necessary due to clay extraction. The work took place on various occasions, from 1917 until 1962. It was led by Alban Gerster and Gerhard Bersu.
Plan of the excavations. Martin-Kilcher 1980, Abb. 2.
A: main house on top of wooden building; B, D, E: secondary buildings; C: wooden building; F: "pond"; G: well;
H: pottery kiln; I: ironworks; K: remains of enclosure; L: drainage channels (Roman?); M: concentration of finds.A wooden house (10.50 x 10 m.), built around 10-20 AD, was replaced by a main building of stone around 60-70 AD. The rooms (one of which was heated) were arranged behind a U-shaped porticus. On the north side nine bathing rooms were added, two of which had a hypocaust.
Plan of the main building. Martin-Kilcher 1980, Abb. 38.
The excavated main building. South is up. Archäologie Baselland.
Reconstruction of the main building. Archäologie Baselland.Around the complex was a wooden fence. The estate also included three secondary buildings, a pottery kiln and ironworks. It was used until the middle of the fourth century.
Reconstruction of the complex. Archäologie Baselland.Amongst the finds were slabs and a column drum of marble, fragments of paintings and mosaics, iron fittings of wagons, brooches, lamps, bronze and iron tools, glass vessels, and a bronze statuette of Jupiter. The finds were taken to the Museum Laufental in Laufen.
Statuette of Jupiter holding an eagle (h. 0.065).
Found in 1918. Archäologie Baselland.
Literature
Gerster 1923; Drack 1950, 90; Gerster 1978; Martin-Kilcher 1980; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 420-421; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 155.
[4-Nov-2023]
