One of the ‘benefits’ of global warming and the melting of the glaciers is that large numbers of well preserved artefacts are coming to light including many from the late Stone Age and the Bronze Age.
The Time Machine AG team was commissioned by the Bernisches Historisches Museum in Berne, the capital city of Switzerland, to make two figures for a splendid new exhibition which opened on the 3rd April 2014.
Working in close cooperation with the museum staff (always a pleasure) we made a hunter and a woman traveler incorporating reconstructions of some of these finds. Our job was to bring to life two of the people who may have left some of their possessions, if not their remains, high on the Schnidejoch Pass (Bernese Oberland). The exhibition includes a marvelous array of finds and is really well laid out and designed incorporating some magnificent and atmospheric paintings and photographs.
Below: At the Bernisches Historisches Museum, two of Time Machine AG’s team, Joëlle Bürgi and Sam Embleton, finish the installation of a figure of an archer whose bow, arrows, bow case, quiver and other equipment were found on what remains of the melting glacier. The designer’s striking presentation sets our archer against a photographic backdrop of the glacier and the Schnidejoch Pass.

Below: The archer’s beautifully preserved birchbark bow case was meticulously reconstructed by one of the team of craftsmen assembled for the exhibition:

Below: Clearly there was quite a lot of traffic over the pass and the exhibition’s team have reconstructed jewelry finds and TM AG a woman who might have worn them. As the glacier retreats and the archaeologists are able to work on the finds we will learn a great deal more about these early Alpine travelers, who were anything but primitive.

Time Machine AG was commissioned by the Bernisches Historisches Museum to make these figures. They will remain the property of BHM.
Some accessaries, excluding costumes, have been commissioned by BHM after discussion with Time Machine AG, and we wish to thank:
- Markus Binggeli, Bern, for the Bronze jewelry of the woman
- Therese Leutwyler, Thun, for her back basket
- Jürgen Junkmanns, Erfstadt-Bliesheim (D) for arrows, bow and the birchbark bow case of the man
- Ursula Schweizer, Bern, for his straw cloak
For further information in English, French and German on this fascinating exhibition click here:
http://www.bhm.ch/en/exhibitions/temporary-exhibition/the-pile-dwellers-on-the-water-and-over-the-alps/
On the 10th of May this year the Braith-Mali Museum in Biberach, Germany officially opened its refurbished archaeology exhibition including Time Machine AG’s latest contribution, an Iron Age grandmother sadly folding away her dead granddaughter’s clothes and bedding.

We have had a great pleasure (and fun) working for the director Frank Brunecker and in close cooperation with members of his team on several dioramas (see our client list) .
Below: Paleolithic reindeer hunters, one of four dioramas that were part of the museum’s “new look”.

TMAG’s further adventures in Prehistory include…
Below: The Regionaal Archeologisch Museum Maaseik, Belgium

Below: Nationaal Hunebedden Informatiecentrum, Borger, Holland

Below: A Native American flint knapper admires his newly finished flint point 16’000 years ago. The so-called Miller point from Meadowcroft Rockshelter.
Senator John Heinz History Center Museum, Pittsburgh, USA

Below: Pfahlbaumuseum, Unteruhldingen, Germany
