Historisches Museum Basel

Interest in the archaeology of Basel goes back to the early 16th century. During the first systematic investigations (1582–85) of the ruins at Augst (now in the canton of Basel-Landschaft) Basilius Amerbach established that the remains were those of a Roman theatre. In 1763 Daniel Bruckner, in his book «Versuch einer Beschreibung historischer und natürlicher Merkwürdigkeiten der Landschaft Basel» [descriptive essay an the notable historical and natural features of the county of Basel], published all the discoveries and finds made at Augst until then. The Basel Historical Museum still holds some of these finds in the so called «Alte Sammlungen» (old collections). In the 19th century, in parallel to the excavations at Augst, local scholars such as Wilhelm Vischer, Theophil Burckhardt-Biedermann and Karl Stehlin searched within the city for the origins of Basel. In 1898 the «Delegation for old Bas» was set up by the Historische und Antiquarische Gesellschaft zu Basel (Basel Historical and Antiquarian Society) and the Verein für das Historische Museum (Basel Historical Museum Society of Friends). Its task was to observe and preserve finds «of an archaeological nature of any kind». In 1961 Basel-Stadt was the first Swiss canton to create the post of a cantonal archaeologist with full civil service status. Today, while the Archäologische Bodenforschung (Archaeological Ground Research) is responsible for current excavations and their evaluation, the finds themselves are the responsibility of the Basel Historical Museum.