The Universities of Bern and Zurich are organising the sixth Swiss International Summer School for Alpine Archaeology (SISA) from 10th–16th August 2025. This year’s summer school will take place in the Simmental and Kandertal regions of the Bernese Pre-Alps—an area of particular interest due to its location between the Alpine foreland, rich in lakes, and the main Alpine ridge, home to numerous mountain passes.

Finds from the Stone Age and Bronze Age highlight the significance of these valleys as key communication routes and trade corridors. They played a vital role in the acquisition, processing and distribution of mineral raw materials, such as radiolarite and copper ore. Despite their historical importance, pre-Alpine valleys remain under-researched.

SISA 2025 aims to address this gap through a combination of hands-on fieldwork and methodological training, led by invited keynote speakers and fieldwork specialists.

Partners

Archaeological Heritage Service of the Canton of Bern

Municipality representatives Boltigen/Simmental & Reichenbach/Kandertal

Sponsors