Model Of Lake Dwellings
date: label: Accession Date
content: 1991
name: label: Donor Name
content: No Information
notes: label: Notes
content: Exhibit model/diorama of prehistoric pile dwellings/palafittes of Switzerland, with glass "lake" and figures of people, animals, boats on lake. The base has a printed/glued on label in German and English indicating "Ancient Lake-Dwellings according to the investigations of Dr. F. Keller [Dr. Ferdinand Keller, Swiss archaeologist, president of Antiquarian Society of Zurich] constr. by M. Goetzinger [Max Goetzinger/Götzinger] of Basle [Basel, Switzerland]." In addition, the label has the logo of the "Internationale Fischerei-Ausstellung Zu Berlin 1880", i.e. the International Fishery Exhibition Berlin, Germany in 1880. Presumably this diorama was exhibited there, and then acquired by the Smithsonian for display at some later date after the exposition. (The Smithsonian itself had a large exhibit/presence at this exposition.) See p. 125 in Amtliche Berichte Über Die Internationale Fischerei-Ausstellung Zu Berlin 1880 [Official Reports On The International Fisheries Exhibition At Berlin 1880]: 5. Berlin: Parey, 1881. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/48629039 . It mentions there a model made by Max Götzinger (Goetzinger) of a prehistoric Swiss Lake Dweller village: "VIII. Schweiz. 1. Basel. Max Götzinger hatte eins seiner schönen lehrreichen Modelle eines schweizerischen Pfahldorfs der Urzeit, die mit Recht auf den grossen Internationalen Weltausstellungen, z. B. zuletzt in Paris, prämiirt worden sind, ausgestellt. Die treffliche Arbeit ist in den Besitz des Märkischen Museums Übergegangen." The Märkisches Museum (originally Märkisches Provinzial-Museum, i.e. Museum of the Province of the March [of Brandenburg]) is a museum in Mitte, Berlin. This diorama was described as being on exhibit in the Smithsonian U.S. National Museum Old World Archaeology exhibit hall, case 66, on p. 497 of the Smithsonian Annual Report for 1922. Exhibit is described there: "Wooden model of a Swiss Lake dwelling, with a selection from the agricultural and textile products of the lake dwellers. The model is provided with a glass plate representing water. A wash of color administered to its lower side gives it a blue tint common to the lakes of Switzerland. Figurines of men, women, and children are shown pursuing the vocations of daily life." During the 1970s/early 1980s inventory, this diorama was stored in the East Basement of the National Museum of Natural History. In 1983 it was given # AT20013. In 1984 the number was changed to A14231, however there is already another Swiss Lake dwelling model # A14231, and A14231 was catalogued in 1874, which conflicts with the 1880 date on this object, so this diorama was returned to number AT20013 in 2020.
label: Record Last Modified
content: 24 Oct 2024
label: Specimen Count
content: 1
place: label: Place
content: Switzerland, Europe
topic: label: Topic
content: Archaeology
culture: label: Culture
content: Lake Dweller
setName: label: See more items in
content: Anthropology
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: NMNH - Anthropology Dept.
identifier: label: Accession Number
content: 999999
label: USNM Number
content: AT20013-0
objectType: label: Object Type
content: Architecture Model