The Late Bronze Age rampart fortification at Stillfried

For the first time, the excavation results of the fortification (rampart) of the central site Stillfried an der March (1000800 BC) in Lower Austria are being presented to the academic community in printed form. The archaeological investigations were conducted under the direction of Fritz Felgenhauer from the University of Vienna between 1969 and 1983. The Stillfried central site served as an economic, political, and religious hub at the crossroads of two trade routes. A ring-shaped fortification encircled its approximately 18-hectare plateau. The western side of this plateau gently slopes into the hinterland, prompting the construction of a particularly robust rampart in that area. This western segmental rampart is the focal point of the research, revealing three construction phases: an initial reinforcement with palisades followed by two expansion stages involving an earthen wall and a row of wooden boxes, resulting in a fortified bulwark approximately 7 meters wide. Additionally, there is an outer ditch approximately 7 meters deep. High-quality photographic documentation of the rampart features provides detailed insights into the construction techniques, including evidence of log building technique, traces of fire, and bark remnants, presented here for the first time. The remarkable preservation of the structure can be attributed to deliberate fire treatment of the wood, preventing rapid decay, as indicated by excavation findings. Towards the end of the Urnfield period, a destructive fire marked the demise of the site, with subsequent layers of powerful, loess-rich materials from later periods overlaying the burnt remains. Despite its significance as a settlement site for over two millennia, no further fortifications were constructed. Roman troops were stationed during the Marcomannic Wars (170180 AD), as evidenced by two trenches on the southern rampart. In the early High Middle Ages, the central village of Stillefrida was established on the former hillfort site, playing a crucial role in the regional development of the 11th and 12th centuries. By around 1280 AD, the settlement had been relocated to the valley, leaving only the parish church, erected at the highest point on the plateau. The volume provides a comprehensive research history of the internationally well-known archaeological site of Stillfried, from its discovery by Matthäus Much in 1874 to the extensive interdisciplinary research project led by Fritz Felgenhauer. The fortification of Stillfried belongs to the widespread defensive structures typical of the Urnfield period. Its well-preserved findings offer valuable insights into the construction methods of such installations, significantly enriching research on prehistoric fortifications in Europe.