Bandkeramik-Museum Schwanfeld

About the museum

Schwanfeld in the district of Schweinfurt is regarded as the oldest village in Germany: during excavations in the years 1979 to 1985 and in 2003 under the direction of prehistorian Prof. Dr. Jens Lüning, initially together with Leiden University, remains of a settlement of the oldest Linear Pottery culture from around 5500 BC came to light. The excavations were part of a project on the earliest Linear Pottery culture between the Rhine and Hungary, funded for over ten years by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

In Schwanfeld, the previously unknown house type of these early farmers could be documented in a well-preserved state, as could the so-called farmstead model that shaped the settlement pattern of the Linear Pottery culture over centuries. Two graves also allowed an unusual link between village and family history and provide hints of an early ancestor cult.

To show these results to the public, the municipality set up a museum of its own in the Fröhrshof in Pfarrgasse, which opened on October 16, 2010. It combines original finds with replicas to touch: themed rooms deal with timber construction, grain cultivation, pottery, clay figures and idols, clothing and hairstyles, the Linear Pottery kitchen, and domestic and wild animals. An introductory film explains the discovery and excavation.

Highlights

• Finds from the settlement site regarded as the oldest village in Germany
• Numerous hands-on and touch stations with replicas
• Clothing room on fashion and hairstyles of the Linear Pottery culture
• Two graves from Schwanfeld and the topic of ancestor cult
• Introductory film on the excavation

Permanent exhibitions

• Archäologie zum Anfassen – Steinzeit vor 7500 Jahren – Themed rooms on house building, farming, pottery, idols, clothing, and the kitchen of the first farmers, with original finds and replicas to touch.

Founded

2010

Operated by

Gemeinde Schwanfeld

Admission & discounts

The municipality also offers a free tour option.

Accessibility

• Partially wheelchair accessible
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

A stair lift provides access to the exhibition on the upper floor; an accessible restroom is on the ground floor.

Kids & families

Great for kids & families

• Hands-on stations

Designed as a hands-on museum: alongside the display cases there are replicas to try out, plus listening stations and an introductory film. The municipality describes the museum as family-friendly.

Getting there & parking

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Events & venue rental

The museum hasn’t published any information on this – please ask the museum directly.

Plan your visit