Origins Unknown: Unfathomable Bamboo ‘Wagon’ Found in Swiss Alps

As glaciers continue to melt in the Swiss Alps, a hiker made an unusual discovery near the fading Schwarzhorn Glacier – a two-wheeled bamboo contraption that has left archaeologists scratching their heads.

Found in the Splügen Pass on November 2, 2024, by Swiss hiker Sergio Veri, this curious find resembles a wagon but lacks clear definition or historical context. While initially estimated to date from the 20th century, the contraption’s origins and purpose currently remain unknown.

The curious bamboo contraption with wheels and a base found November 2 at the Schwarzhorn Glacier, Switzerland. (Sergio Veri/Kanton Graubünden)

The Canton of Graubünden’s Archaeological Service, who shared the find on social media, describes the structure as made of bamboo rods and laces, suggesting it was designed to carry something, but no one is sure what.

The use of bamboo – a material not native to Switzerland but introduced to Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries – adds to the mystery, but also indicates it is certainly not ancient. The object’s structure suggests some kind of utility, but without similar artifacts for comparison, speculation about its function abounds on the post.

The contraption seems to have wheels or curved blades at one end. (Sergio Veri /Kanton Graubünden)

Speculation Gets Going

Social media commenters have theorized about the object’s origins, offering a variety of imaginative suggestions.

Some believe it could have been a smuggling cart from the World War I era, or perhaps a makeshift sled or load-bearing vehicle used by explorers or hunters. One commenter even speculated it might be part of an experimental early 20th-century airplane or equipment used by scientists.

Another commenter generated a hypothesis with ChatGPT, suggesting the wagon may have been designed to carry loads over the rugged terrain of the Swiss Alps, though its exact purpose remains speculative. Any ideas?

This mysterious bamboo wagon joins a growing list of more recognizable items recently uncovered by retreating glaciers, which are known to be a variety of old and ancient. They include hunting tools and weapons,  animal remains, relics of early climbers, (including of course the famous Otzi mummy), and even early skis

As the Schwarzhorn Glacier and other Alpine ice masses continue to reveal their secrets, archaeologists are left with yet another enigma that deepens our curiosity about the lives and activities once carried out in these remote, icy reaches of Europe.

Top image: Curious bamboo contraption found at the Schwarzhorn Glacier, Switzerland.        Source: Sergio Veri/ Kanton Graubünden

By Gary Manners