Geißkopf (Central Black Forest)

The Geißkopf is a low hill rising near Berghaupten in the southern Black Forest. It stands at the Kinzig valley’s exit, overlooking the Rhine Plain by about 200 metres. Mixed woods cover its slopes, and a road climbs almost to the top. Three villages lie close by: Berghaupten to the southeast, Ohlsbach to the northeast, and Zunsweier to the northwest. The hill’s western side has a shallow saddle linking it to the Black Forest edge. Excavations since 1989 have uncovered over 1,300 iron and bronze objects on the summit. Most are weapons such as lance tips, axes, and arrowheads, many bent from use. Late Roman military belt fittings and fibulae suggest a 4th- to 5th-century military presence. Phosphorus traces show the site held large numbers of people and animals for long periods. Unlike nearby Kügeleskopf, almost no pottery or women’s jewellery was found, pointing to a purely military role. Visitors walk through quiet woods to the rounded hilltop. The steep eastern, northern, and southern slopes give wide views over the valley and plain. Forest tracks lead almost to the summit, where the scattered finds hint at the site’s past. The saddle on the western side offers an easy approach from the Black Forest edge.