Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps are a series of prehistoric pile dwelling (or

stilt house Stilt houses (also called pile dwellings or lake dwellings) are houses raised on stilts (or piles) over the surface of the soil or a body of water. Stilt houses are built primarily as a protection against flooding; they also keep out vermin. ...

) settlements in and around the

Alps The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...

built from about 5000 to 500 BC on the edges of lakes, rivers or wetlands. In 2011, 111 sites located variously in

Switzerland ). Swiss law does not designate a ''capital'' as such, but the federal parliament and government are installed in Bern, while other federal institutions, such as the federal courts, are in other cities (Bellinzona, Lausanne, Luzern, Neuchâtel ...

(56),

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

(19),

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwee ...

(18),

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

(11),

Austria Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...

(5) and

Slovenia Slovenia ( ; sl, Slovenija ), officially the Republic of Slovenia (Slovene: , abbr.: ''RS''), is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered by Italy to the west, Austria to the north, Hungary to the northeast, Croatia to the southeast, and ...

(2) were added to the

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international coope ...

World Heritage Site A World Heritage Site is a landmark or area with legal protection by an international convention administered by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Heritage Sites are designated by UNESCO for ...

list.UNESCO World Heritage Site - Prehistoric Pile dwellings around the Alps
/ref> In Slovenia, these were the first World Heritage Sites to be listed for their cultural value. Excavations conducted at some of the sites have yielded evidence regarding prehistoric life and the way communities interacted with their environment during the

Neolithic The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several pa ...

and

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

s in Alpine Europe. These settlements are a unique group of exceptionally well-preserved and culturally rich archaeological sites, which constitute one of the most important sources for the study of early agrarian societies in the region. Contrary to popular belief, the dwellings were not erected over water, but on nearby marshy land. They were set on piles to protect against occasional flooding. Because the lakes have grown in size over time, many of the original piles are now under water, giving modern observers the false impression that they have always been this way.Armando Mombelli
Lake dwellings reveal hidden past
SwissInfo.ch, Nov 11, 2011

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File:Italien, Molina di Ledro by Niederkasseler - panoramio.jpg, Palafittes of

Ledro Ledro (in local dialect: ''Léder'') is an Italian ''comune'' (municipality) in Trentino in northern Italy. It was created on January 1, 2010, by the union of the former ''comuni'' of Pieve di Ledro, Bezzecca, Concei, Molina di Ledro, Tiarno di ...

, Italy File:Motifs poteries palafittes lac du Bourget.jpeg, Patterns of pile dwellings ceramics, Lake Bourget, Savoy, 1915 File:Ceramiques palafittes lac du Bourget.jpeg, Ceramics of palafittes of Lake Bourget, Savoy, 1915 File:Palafitte Stations de Morges - Vers l'Eglise 5.jpg, Remains of underwater palafittes, station of Morges, Switzerland, 2011 File:Inventaire metal palafittes lac du Bourget 1908.jpeg, Inventory of the metallic material of the pile dwellings of Lake Bourget, 1908 File:Pirogue préhistorique du lac de Chalain.jpg, Canoe from Lake Chalain, Jura, 1904 File:Ig Pile-Dwellings.jpg, Site of pile dwellings near Ig, Slovenia File:D-BW-Uhldingen-Mühlhofen - Pfahlbaumuseum - Haus Schussenried.jpg, Neolithic house reconstruction. File:Meyers b12 s0929a.jpg, Illustration of dwellings and artefacts File:Pfahlbau Rekonstruktion Museum SH 002.jpg, Prehistoric pile-dwelling house reconstruction File:Pfahlbau Rekonstruktion Museum SH 001.jpg, Prehistoric pile-dwelling house reconstruction File:Pfahlbau Rekonstruktion Museum SH 003.jpg, Prehistoric pile-dwelling house reconstruction File:Pfahlbau Rekonstruktion Museum SH 004.jpg, Prehistoric pile-dwelling house reconstruction

References

External links

Prehistoric Pile Dwellings around the Alps : UNESCO Official Website
* {{World Heritage Sites in Switzerland World Heritage Sites in Austria World Heritage Sites in France World Heritage Sites in Germany World Heritage Sites in Italy World Heritage Sites in Slovenia World Heritage Sites in Switzerland Municipality of Ig Ljubljana Marshes Stilt houses Prehistoric Slovenia

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