Cortaillod culture

{{Short description|Neolithic culture in Switzerland}}

{{Infobox archaeological culture

|name = Cortaillod culture

|map =

|horizon =

|region = Valais, West and Central Switzerland.

|period = Later Neolithic, Chalcolithic

|dates = 3900-3500 BC

|typesite =

|majorsites =

|extra =

|precededby = Classic Cortaillod, Early Cortaillod, La Hoguette culture, Cardial culture

|followedby = Horgen culture

}}

{{See also|Neolithic Switzerland|Prehistoric pile dwellings around the Alps}}

File:Megawal35.png

The Cortaillod culture is one of several archaeologically defined cultures belonging to the Neolithic period of Switzerland. The Cortaillod Culture in the west of the region is contemporary with the Pfyn Culture

in the east and dates from between 3900-3500 BC. The Classic Cortaillod culture of the western Alpine foreland and the Early Cortaillod culture of central Switzerland pre-date this at 4300-3900 BC.

Evidence, such as higher frequencies of dog bones and pendants made from dog metapodials, suggests a special relationship between dog and man during the later part of this period in the western part and the early Horgen culture in the eastern part of the Alpine foreland.

The culture is named for the village of Cortaillod in the canton of Neuchâtel.{{Citation |last=Darvill |first=Timothy |title=Cortaillod Culture |date=2009-01-01 |url=https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/acref/9780199534043.001.0001/acref-9780199534043-e-1020 |work=The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Archaeology |access-date=2023-08-24 |publisher=Oxford University Press |language=en |doi=10.1093/acref/9780199534043.001.0001 |isbn=978-0-19-953404-3}}