Alteburg: A Celtic Ring-Wall Settlement in Germany
Site at a Glance
- Rating
- 4.3
- Popularity
- Very Low
- Country
- Germany
- Primary era
- Classical
- Eras represented
- Classical, Medieval
- Civilizations
- Carolingian, Celtic
- Site type
- Military
- Remains
- Fort
On this page6 sections
History
Alteburg is a Celtic settlement site in Germany, located on Hoppesberg above the Kasselgrund in the territory of Biebergemünd. Charcoal places its Celtic settlement phase around 500 BC, while earlier finds show that the hill had already been occupied before the Celtic community was established. The enclosed settlement formed a substantial fortified centre, later reused in a reduced form during the Carolingian period, the eighth- and ninth-century era of the Carolingian dynasty in western and central Europe.
Pre-Celtic and Celtic occupation
Alteburg’s earliest known activity predates the Celtic settlement. Charcoal remains from around 500 BC belong to the Celtic phase, when the site was enclosed by a ring-wall fortification and occupied by residential structures. The settlement’s later history included activity beyond the Celtic period. Roman vessel fragments from the fourth or early fifth century AD and charcoal from the eighth century indicate occupation during both the post-Celtic Roman period and the early medieval era.
Carolingian reuse and archaeological investigation
Radiocarbon dating, which estimates the age of organic material through the decay of radioactive carbon, established that a 117-meter internal partition wall was added during the Carolingian period. This alteration divided the enclosure and probably reflects the site’s reuse on a smaller scale. Geophysical investigations took place in 1999 and 2000, followed by excavation by the Hessian State Office for Monument Preservation. The University of Mainz carried out further archaeological investigations in 2004. Parts of the fortification have since been reconstructed by the Biebergemünd Historical Society. The neighboring village of Kassel was historically recorded as Cassela. Its name may be connected with the fortification through the medieval use of castella for fortified sites and royal estates.
Remains
Ring-wall enclosure
Alteburg is an oval ring-wall fortification aligned from east to west. A ring wall is a continuous fortified enclosure, commonly strengthened by gates and a ditch. The site covers approximately 61,300 square meters, has a circumference of slightly more than 1,100 meters, and extends just under 480 meters from west to east. A stone wall enclosed the settlement, which had two gates and a surrounding ditch. The eastern part was more weakly fortified than the western area. Visible wall remains survive, and one section of the ring-wall has been reconstructed.
Internal division and settlement area
A later partition wall, 117 meters long, crosses the enclosure and divides it in a ratio of roughly one-third to two-thirds. In the eastern section, the wall reduced the enclosed area, giving that part dimensions of about 100 meters from north to south, compared with up to 200 meters in the west. Wooden-and-clay residential structures stood in the centre of the enclosure. Archaeological finds from Alteburg, including the recovered vessel fragments and later material, are displayed at the Biebergrund Museum in Biebergemünd-Bieber.
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