Extensive remains of a villa were found two kilometers to the north-west of Kloten, to the east of Zürich Airport. The locality is called Aalbühl, but has in view of the discoveries also been called Schatzbuck, "Treasure Mound". In 1724 mosaics were unearthed, in 1837 baths and part of the main house. Some more work took place in the years 1969-1979. Buildings were found on an area measuring 250 x 200 m. There was an enclosing wall. The villa was built shortly after the middle of the first century. The latest coins are from the third quarter of the third century.
Remains of the villa as they appear today. Photo: vici.org, Werner Doenni.
Plan of the villa. Drack-Fellmann 1988, Abb. 388.
A: main house; B: baths; C: secondary building; D: connecting porticus; E: small buildings; F: shed (?); G: lime kiln.The main house measured 48.80 x 39.20 m (A). The rooms were arranged around a courtyard (39 x 14 m.). On one side were baths with hypocausts for heating, apsidal rooms and an oval room. A porticus connected the house with separate baths, also with hypocausts (23.20 x 14.00 m.; B). Black-and-white and polychrome mosaics were found in some of the bathing rooms and in the separate baths. Fragments were found of paintings and of marble slabs that decorated the walls.
Remains of the main house and the baths after the 1837 excavations. Keller 1841, Taf. III.
View of the main house and the baths after the 1837 excavations. Keller 1841, Taf. IV.
Drawings of some of the mosaics. Keller 1841, Taf. II.There is some confusion about an inscription found on this location in 1601, as recorded in an old manuscript. It is a dedication to the Genius of the Pagus Tigorinus. Similar inscriptions were found in 1919 in Payerne (VD) and in the 16th century in Münchenwiler (BE) (Kolb et al. 2022, nrs. 122 and 148). It has been regarded as a forgery or a mix-up, and apparently still is.
Literature
Ott 1724; Ott 1732; Breitinger 1727; Keller 1841; Keller-Von Wyss 1864; Keller 1864(2), 99-100; Von Gonzenbach 1961, 122-126; Drack 1970; Drack-Fellmann 1988, 416-418; Drack-Fellmann 1991, 150-151; Drack 1992; Drack 2000; Delbarre-Bärtschi 2014, 249.
[7-Apr-2024]
