The “Grosses Höchhus” in Steffisburg, 2008. Photo by Badri Redha, Archaeological Service of Canton Bern.
Andreas Heege, Georg Frank, 2026
When large parts of the “Grosses Höchhus” at 17 Höchhusweg in Steffisburg in the Canton of Bern were being restored and some areas extended in 2006–2008, excavations on the ground floor uncovered the remains of an old potter’s kiln (Heege 2007, 62 Fig. 98 and supplementary CD with additional figures/Switzerland; Baeriswyl 2008; Baeriswyl/Bruneau 2015).
The potter’s kiln on the ground floor of the “Grosses Höchhus”, 2008. Photos by Badri Redha, Archaeological Service of Canton Bern.
Based on the features unearthed, the archaeologists presumed that the building had been used for a variety of functions, one of which being a potter’s workshop. It was dated to the first half of the 19th century (Baeriswyl/Bruneau 2015, 11, based on: Heege 2012, esp. 166–167 Fig. 12).
Misfired pieces and waste from the fill of the demolished potter’s kiln. Photos by Badri Redha, Archaeological Service of Canton Bern.
It has since been possible to shed light on the properties and genealogies of the potters’ families involved. Christian Schweizer (1761-1821) set up the potter’s workshop in 1788 and his son-in-law, Niklaus Fahrni (1784–1849), took it over in 1821. Pottery production ceased in 1849 at the latest when Fahrni died. Records show that the building became a bakery in 1855.
A detailed analysis of the potter’s workshop is set to be published in 2027: Keramikfreunde der Schweiz, Revue 142.
Basic information on the genealogy of the Schweizer/Fahrni family (Georg Frank)
Translation Sandy Haemmerle
References:
Baeriswyl 2008
Armand Baeriswyl, Steffisburg, Grosses Höchhus. Bauuntersuchung und Grabung seit November 2006, in: Archäologie Bern/Archéologie bernoise. Jahrbuch des Archäologischen Dienstes des Kantons Bern, 2008, 72-75.
Baeriswyl/Bruneau 2015
Armand Baeriswyl/Irene Bruneau, Steffisburg, Grosses Höchhus, Kanton Bern, Bern 2015.
Heege 2007
Andreas Heege, Töpferöfen-Pottery kilns-Fours de potiers. Die Erforschung frühmittelalterlicher bis neuzeitlicher Töpferöfen (6.-20. Jh.) in Belgien, den Niederlanden, Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz (Basler Hefte zur Archäologie 4), Basel 2007.
Heege 2012
Andreas Heege, Drei neuzeitliche Grubeninventare von Jegenstorf, in: Archäologie Bern/Archéologie bernoise. Jahrbuch des Archäologischen Dienstes des Kantons Bern, 2012, 159-196.
