Rapperswil-Jona–Technikum, Bronze Age archaeological site at Lake Zurich, Switzerland

Rapperswil-Jona-Technikum is a submerged archaeological site in the upper Lake Zurich, about 150 metres off the shore of Rapperswil and south of the former Technikum, now Campus Rapperswil-Jona. The roughly circular find spot measures 0.92 hectares and about 110 metres across; the original piles now lie around 3 metres below the water surface. In 2011 it was covered with geotextile and a 20 cm layer of gravel to slow erosion.

Divers found the site in 1998, and it dates to the second half of the 17th century BC. The island village covered 3,000 to 4,000 m², making it one of the larger Early Bronze Age settlements in the Alpine foreland. It was ringed by several rows of palisades. Its function remains unclear, though it may have controlled the lake crossing between Rapperswil and Hurden.

The site takes its name from the former Technikum, now the Rapperswil-Jona campus of the university, which stands on the shore nearby. Among the finds is a soapstone mould for razors of the Alpine type; the soapstone came from the mountains, pointing to trade links with the Alpine passes.

The underwater site itself cannot be visited directly, but artifacts from excavations are displayed in regional museums for public viewing. Plan to visit these museums to learn about the settlement and see the objects that archaeologists recovered from the lake.

A soapstone mold for casting razors of the so-called Alpine type was found at the site. Such blades have only been found in the Alpine region, where the soapstone itself comes from, suggesting the settlement was a hub for trade with the Alpine passes.