Near Schänis, to the west of the Walensee, remains of a watchtower have been preserved on the Biberlikopf, a mostly forested plateau with two peaks reaching a height of 554 and 565 m. It was investigated in 1853 by Ferdinand Keller. During the First World War a bunker was built in and on top of the tower. The walls have been preserved to a height of 1.70 m. It was investigated again by Rudolf Laur-Belart in the years 1960-1962.
Exterior of the tower and the bunker. Photo: Wikimedia, Bobo11.
Interior of the tower and the bunker. Photo: Wikimedia, Adrian Michael.The tower was about 140 m. above the valley. It was set against an enclosing wall measuring 24 x 22 m. It measured 8.95 x 8.95 m., with walls that were 2.40 m. thick. The lower part was stepped. On the outside of the northeast corner, in the lowest layer, were two reliefs of a phallus (taken to the Historisches Museum in Sankt Gallen, but then disappeared). In the interior stood an L-shaped water basin (c). The tower must have been built in the late first century BC, in relation to the military campaign of 16/15 BC, and used only briefly.
Plan of the tower. Keller 1860, Taf. VII,4.
The excavation in 1962. Photo: Laur-Belart 1962, Abb. 33.
The two reliefs of a phallus. Photo: Laur-Belart 1962, Abb. 41.
Literature
Keller 1860, 327-329; Laur-Belart - Grüninger - Schmid 1960; Laur-Belart 1962; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 501; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 232-233; Roth-Rubi et al. 2004.
[14-Dec-2023]
