Pile dwelling
Palafito (vivienda sobre pilotes)
- Date
- c. 5700 BCE · confidence high
- Place
- La Marmotta, Lake Bracciano, Lazio, Italy
- Credited to
- Cardial Neolithic of the central Mediterranean
- Field
- Tools
What it is
A village built on thousands of oak posts driven into the lakeshore, with 10 m canoes, textiles and baskets preserved underwater. It makes use of the shoreline, protects against floods and vermin, and leaves the ground free for cultivation.
The Alpine pile dwellings (Switzerland, Germany, Austria) are later (c. 4300 BCE).
What it led to
- Occupation of lakes and wetlands across Europe (the Alpine lake-dwelling culture)
- Large-scale post and pile carpentry
- Exceptional preservation documenting Neolithic material life
Built on
Made possible
- Timber trackway (constructed road)3807 BCE
- Alpine lake-dwelling villages
- Wooden walkway
- Wooden bridge