Schneider, Hugo
Die bösen Türnli: Archäologische Beiträge zur Burgenforschung in der Urschweiz
This volume contains reports on the excavations and architectural investigations carried out at several castle sites in the cantons that made up the “Old Swiss Confederacy”. Six sites are presented: the castle ruins at Attinghausen, Seedorf, Zwing Uri, Gesslerburg, Schanau and Landenberg above Sarnen. The final chapter by Werner Meyer deals with the construction and demolition of castles in the region that is considered to have constituted the “Old Swiss Confederacy”. The book also contains numerous photographs and drawings.
Burgen aus Holz und Stein: Burgenkundliches Kolloquium in Basel 1977
This volume contains the proceedings from a conference on castle studies held in Basel in 1977 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Schweizerischer Burgenverein. Looking back over half a century of the association’s existence, which has a good reputation in academic circles both here and abroad, the conference programme was intentionally wide-ranging. The contributions from various researchers in Switzerland and abroad point to the diversity of medieval defensive structures in terms of form, function and materials. The six presentations share an important leitmotif in current medieval research: interlinking archaeological features with historical contexts. The volume contains two Swiss papers; Hugo Schneider’s paper on Letzi walls (defensive barriers or boundary markers) in the Alpine region puts the spotlight on the founding period of the Old Swiss Confederacy, while Werner Mayer attempts to make an archaeological contribution to the medieval history of settlement by examining the links between castle construction, the rise of political power and forest clearance rights. Using lowland castles in the Rhineland as an example, Walter Janssen sheds light on the transition between timber construction and stone architecture in the High Middle Ages and examines the social status of individual noble lineages based on the differences in the construction of their castles. Similarly, Jacques Renaud uses 13th/14th century brick-built castles in the Netherlands to present the history of Dutch feudalism. Based on the geographic locations and types of construction of timber-built Slavic castles in north-western Germany, Karl Struve examines the social structure of the Slavic tribes. Olaf Olsen’s paper on concentric castles in Denmark provides an insight into the military and political organisation of Danish kingship at the time of the Vikings.
Die Burgruine Alt-Regensberg im Kanton Zurich: Bericht über die Forschungen 1955-57
The excavation and renovation of the castle ruins of “Altburg”, the ancestral seat of the Barons of Regensberg near Zurich, were carried out on behalf of the Department of Public Works of Canton Zurich in close cooperation with the Swiss National Museum. The project provided a unique opportunity to study and document an early castle complex of great historical importance. The castle itself is located on a morainic hill, which was fortified by the Barons of Regensberg at the end of the 11th century. The fortifications were extended around 1200 under the Barons of Regensberg and during the 14th century under the lords of Landenberg. In 1460 the complex was modernised by Rudolf Mötteli, but this was met with opposition from the city of Zurich, which ultimately took it over and let it fall into ruin.
The publication links the history of owners with the history of construction, paying most attention to the Barons of Regensberg, followed by a detailed presentation of the excavated features. The four main phases from the high to the late Middle Ages are presented separately, with an illustrated catalogue containing several hundred objects, divided into different categories, which include stove tiles, pots and other ceramic vessels, iron, coins, non-ferrous metal as well as bone.