Traces of a transformative era reflected in public perception. Hilltop settlements from the Migration Period as local and European cultural heritage

Compared to ancient or medieval sites, early historical hilltop settlements represent a little-known form of cultural heritage. The material cultural heritage of the Migration Period is mostly only known to the general public in the form of grave finds, which are still politically charged today, while the significance of hilltop settlements is underestimated, especially their outstanding role in the transformation of settlement topography throughout Europe at the end of antiquity.

As part of the project, hilltop settlements in Western Central Europe will be examined in terms of their various roles within the context of cultural heritage. In addition to their long-term historical impact within the respective settlement topography, the focus will be on the various levels of significance attributed to the sites under investigation, which, especially in pre-modern times, go beyond their perception as mere places of historical memory. A contemporary analysis of hilltop settlements will examine how this form of cultural heritage, which has often only been present at the regional level, is dealt with and interpreted today, and will document existing communication strategies and tourism development. The results of the project serve as a basis for a reassessment of the sites and the development of best practice models for transferring current scientific content to the general public, both locally and as part of a pan-European exhibition project currently in preparation. The aim is to anchor this cultural heritage more firmly in the public consciousness.