The great
tumulus of Hochdorf is located within a cluster of tumuli, most of
which have not been excavated, ca. 10 km due west of the Hohenasperg. The latter, a
six-hectare plateau ca. 100 m. above the gently-rolling countryside,
is visible from a great distance. Having been continuously occupied
since the Middle Ages, with many phases of construction, some
extending down to bedrock, it has not been excavated and there
appears to be no prospect of major archaeological evidence to be
found there. The Hohenasperg was most probably the main seat of
government of the population on the plains below, perhaps a
gathering place for mercantile or religious activity, perhaps also a
fortified place of refuge. Aerial photography has revealed many more
tumuli under the adjacent fields than have been excavated; most have
been plowed flat.
The tumulus at Hirschlanden, south of Hochdorf, dates to the
Hallstatt period (6th c.). There the ring of stones around the
circumference of the tumulus and the statue that originally stood on
top have been preserved. A later stele (Late Hallstatt D-La Tène
A) was found nearby at Holzgerlingen. Further
Hallstatt-period finds have been made to the south and east, around
Bad Cannstatt and Ludwigsburg, in addition to the important early La
Tène princely tomb of the Kleinaspergle. Finally, Roman-period sites include
a fascinating wood-fenced enclosure at Fellbach-Schmiden, apparently
a cultic temenos ("Viereckschanze") or an open-air
temple of the second century B.C.E.. The contents of a deep well
shaft inside the enclosure include monumental sculptures of stylized
deer and goat-like creatures rearing on their hind legs (see Biel 1985, 339 ff.).
Strong evidence from the
pattern of burials indicates continuity of occupation of the
Hohenasperg and its surrounding countryside. Although the
archaeological record is extremely spotty -- as is to be expected in
an area that has been under intensive cultivation and construction
for centuries -- it contains material from the late Hallstatt period
through the transition to La Tène and into the La Tène period
proper. The relationship between the Hohenasperg and the outlying
burial areas may have changed over time, with the burials moving in
closer to the fortified hill settlement, but further excavation must
be undertaken to determine the precise sequence.
