- Sanctuaries and Sacred Places -
ENCLOSURES AND THEIR RELATED STRUCTURES
Until recently, it was thought that prior to the second century Be, iron age Celtic
peoples rarely constructed special cult sites, and possible early sites like the early
third-century Be rectilinear enclosure at Libenice (Prague) were considered excep-
tions to this rule. Excavation in the last decade, particularly in northern France, has
changed this position somewhat (the sanctuary at Gournay-sur-Aronde (Oise), for
example, has fourth-century Be origins), but it remains true that the majority of
excavated cult sites employing enclosures do not predate 250 Be.
Viereckschanzen
This term was originally applied to a series of Bavarian rectilinear enclosures
delimited by an earth bank and ditch, enclosing an area of approximately I ha
(Schwarz 1959). Viereckschanzen were classified on morphological and typological
criteria by Schwarz (1959, 1962), who was influential in arguing for the cult function
of such sites. In contrast to the 'Belgic' sanctuaries discussed below, the assemblages
from excavated Viereckschanzen are generally very poor, and the cult function of
most examples is uncertain.
Schwarz's (1962, 1975) excavation of one of two Viereckschanzen at Holzhausen
(Lkr. Wolfratshausen, Bavaria) identified five constructional phases. Initially
delimited simply by a palisade (phases 1-3) the 92 m sq area was later supplemented
by an earth bank and ditch (phase 4). An internal structure was erected in phase 3
and rebuilt in phase 4 (Figure 24.1) and the three shafts noted above were sunk in
phases 1,2 and 4. The ensemble was dated to the later Iron Age. Largely on the basis
of the shaft fills, noted above, Schwarz suggested a cult function for Holzhausen, an
interpretation questioned recently by both Brunaux (1989: 13) and Mansfeld (1989:
31-2). Sites across Celtic Europe, from Gosbecks in Britain (Collis 1989: 15-18) to
Msecke Zehrovice in Bohemia (Venclova 1989) have been related to the Bavarian
Viereckschanzen on morphological grounds (Buchsenschutz 1978, 1984, 1989). There
has been a marked tendency to assume commonality of function across the series,
and taking Holzhausen as an indicator, this role has often been argued to be a cult
one. The recent doubts cast over Holzhausen are thus significant, not least because,
despite numerous excavations, Holzhausen remains the sole site with a strong claim
to a cult function. The excavators of Viereckschanzen-comparables in France, for
example, have suggested utilitarian roles for enclosures at Montrollet (Charente
Maritime: Callia 1987-8; 250-2) and St-Arnoult (Yvelines: Baray 1989: 81-95). In
addition, the perceived morphological and topographical similarities between the
Bavarian sites and a set of proposed Viereckschanzen-comparables in the Limousin,
France, have recently been shown to be statistically non-significant (Webster 1991:
293-3^08 ).
It is likely that some sites now placed in the Viereckschanzen class served a cult
function, but it seems clear that the category subsumes a variety of monument
groups. Without independent excavation criteria, as yet lacking, unexcavated sites,
and the majority of excavated examples, cannot be seen as cult loci.