The Burgstallkogel near Grossklein and the Sulmtal Necropolis

Burgstallkogel hill near Grossklein is one of the most prominent archaeological sites of the late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age in Europe (9th-6th century B.C.).

With almost 700 preserved burial mounds surrounding a hilltop settlement on the summit of the Burgstallkogel, the approximately 16 km long low hill ridge, between the Sulm and Saggau rivers, is one of the best-preserved archaeological landscapes of this period. An exclusive position at the eastern access to the settlement is occupied by the four princely burial mounds in Kleinklein, which, thanks to the bronze masks and bronze armor, are among the richest graves of the period.

For almost two centuries the landscape around the Hallstatt princely seat on Burgstallkogel hill near Grossklein has been the focus of archaeological research, which in the 19th century was devoted to the burial mounds and only in the 20th century focused on the settlement as well. A special feature of this cultural landscape around Grossklein are the today well visible and preserved tumulus fields (Sulmtal necropolis). The exact number of tumuli is unknown, documents from the 19th century refer to 1124 tumuli. Although today we can count about 700 tumuli, it can be assumed that once the necropolis included about 2000 tumuli. Most of them are located within a radius of 1 km as the crow flies from the settlement.

The core of the necropolis with about 500 tumuli extends to the west and south of the settlement on the Burgstallkogel. The burial mounds in the center of the necropolis vary in size, from small ones, barely more than 2 m in diameter, to large ones with more than 40 m in diameter. North of the settlement there is another large tumulus field with 160 recorded tumuli. Along the entrance to the settlement from the east, another 30 tumuli can be identified. A tumulus was usually built for one person. They were exclusively cremations in an urn or directly in a burial pit with grave goods such as pottery, bronze and iron objects.

At the foot of the Burgstallkogel, on a high terrace of the Saggau river, there is the Kleinklein burial ground. In this separate part of the necropolis were the four largest burial mounds richly furnished with grave goods, Hartnermichelkogel hill 1 and 2, Pommerkogel and Kröllkogel hills. According to the observations published so far, three of the four princely burial mounds lie in chronological sequence. At the end of the 8th century B.C. the Hartnermichelkogel 1 was laid out, followed by the Pommerkogel in the 7th century B.C .and the Kröllkogel, which is dated to the first half of the 6th century B.C. With the construction of the last, probably also the richest princely grave, the Kröllkogel, at the beginning of the Late Hallstatt period, the hillside burials in the other tumuli groups around Kleinklein seem to have ended.

The Hallstatt period settlement extends not only on the highest peak, but also on the artificial terraces of the Burgstallkogel. Especially on the northern slope, the terraces are still clearly visible in the forest, while large parts of the southern and eastern slopes of the Burgstallkogel no longer show any terracing due to modern viticulture. However, recent excavations have confirmed the terracing and the use of these slopes as settlement areas. But the finds are not sufficient to make clear statements about the density and extent of the settlement, especially because around the settlement at the Burgstallkogel, in contrast to many other Hallstatt period hilltop settlements of the eastern Hallstatt area, no protective wall can be found.

The settlement was first investigated in 1927 by Walter Schmid, then a regional archaeologist at the Joanneum. From his excavation he reported two buildings, a residential house and a farm building, built in block construction technique. Schmid’s results were published and critically evaluated by Claus Dobiat. In 1982 and 1984 Dobiat carried out further settlement excavations, which he published in full with the support of Regina Smolnik.

Dobiat made eight sections on the crest and northern slope of the Burgstallkogel in order to obtain initial data on the dating and internal development of the settlement. In addition to post pits, clay plaster and wattle impressions, traces of horizontal sill beams were found in section II, suggesting so-called post construction. One of the remarkable finds from this excavation campaign was a total of 107 weaving weights in a shallow pit 30 to 40 cm deep. Their location and accumulation suggest a large loom.

The Joanneum Universal Museum and the Karl Franzens University of Graz have been continuing investigations at the settlement site since 2013. The excavations confirmed the multi-phase settlement on the northwest slope and uncovered a burnt ruin on the south slope in 2015. The burnt building of a log house stood on a dug-in terrace and had dimensions of about 2 by 4 m with a floor paved with clay and large stones as foundation supports. In the building, in addition to various ceramic vessels, a firedog in the shape of a half-moon was discovered, which is one of the so-called moon idols in the Alpine region.

Archaeobotanical samples from settlement pits on the northern slope show high proportions of the common millet (Panicum miliaceum). One of the pits could even be interpreted as a millet stockpile. All other cultivated plants appear only sporadically in the finds, but nevertheless cover a large part of the expected Iron Age spectrum: besides spelt barley (Hordeum vulgare), a naked wheat (Triticum aestivum/durum/turgidum), spelt (T. spelta) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica) are clearly attested. In addition, we can identify the lentil (Lens culinaris) and probably also the flax (Linum usitatissimum). Plant remains of foxtail millet (Setaria italica), einkorn (Triticum monococcum), field bean (Vicia faba), and opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) come from one of the burial mounds.

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Text: Dr. Marko Mele