Opening a door on 5,000 years ago
Source: Agencies |
October 21, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
ARCHEOLOGISTS in the Swiss city of Zurich have unearthed a 5,000-year-old door that may be one of the oldest ever found in Europe.
The ancient poplar wood door is "solid and elegant" with well-preserved hinges and a "remarkable" design for holding the boards together, chief archeologist Niels Bleicher said yesterday.
Using tree rings to determine its age, Bleicher believes the door could have been made in the year 3063 BC. "The door is remarkable because of the way the planks were held together," he said.
Harsh climatic conditions at the time meant people had to build solid houses to keep out the cold wind that blew across Lake Zurich, and the door would have helped, he said. "It's a clever design that even looks good."
The door was part of a settlement of so-called "stilt houses" frequently found near lakes about 1,000 years after agriculture and animal husbandry were first introduced to the pre-Alpine region.
It is similar to another door found in nearby Pfaeffikon, while a third, made from one piece of wood, is believed to be even older, possibly dating back to 3700 BC.
The latest find was discovered at the dig for what is intended to be a new car park for Zurich's opera house.
The ancient poplar wood door is "solid and elegant" with well-preserved hinges and a "remarkable" design for holding the boards together, chief archeologist Niels Bleicher said yesterday.
Using tree rings to determine its age, Bleicher believes the door could have been made in the year 3063 BC. "The door is remarkable because of the way the planks were held together," he said.
Harsh climatic conditions at the time meant people had to build solid houses to keep out the cold wind that blew across Lake Zurich, and the door would have helped, he said. "It's a clever design that even looks good."
The door was part of a settlement of so-called "stilt houses" frequently found near lakes about 1,000 years after agriculture and animal husbandry were first introduced to the pre-Alpine region.
It is similar to another door found in nearby Pfaeffikon, while a third, made from one piece of wood, is believed to be even older, possibly dating back to 3700 BC.
The latest find was discovered at the dig for what is intended to be a new car park for Zurich's opera house.
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