ORF-E
French and English
1 x 58 min
Worldwide except for Switzerland, France, French speaking Belgium

Hazelnut shells, bread rolls, skeins of linen, basketwork, shoes… the very banality of such objects, when they are discovered almost intact after being buried underwater for thousands of years, is their greatest advantage. Water, the source of this miracle, can preserve organic matter over long periods of time. Throughout the Alpine arc in the Neolithic era, people built houses on stilts near the edge of lakes and marshes. As water levels rose, these villages had to be abandoned; their submerged remains have been preserved until the present. These lake dwellers have thus become inadvertent witnesses to their age. They have left us a unique legacy, which can today be dated with astonishing precision. This film tells their story, illuminating a little known archaeological bounty in the heart of Europe.

Awards: Nyon International Festival of Archaeological Films (2023): Jury Prize (won)