Boundary stone

Description

Although boundaries were marked with stones as far back as the late Middle Ages, many boundaries were rather approximately defined. As a rule old boundary records, maps and plans were also imprecise, which explains the strikingly high number of boundary disputes. Many parish boundaries were not finally established until the CIB, and most older boundary stones also date from then. Obviously in the Age of Enlightenment people felt a great need for clear cut boundary distinctions. As the date still legible beneath the cartouche indicates, this stone was set up in 1779. It marked the parish boundary between Kleinbasel and the village of Kleinhüningen. On both sides there is a deeply engraved cartouche emblazoned with the Basle crosier along with the year the stone was set up and the letters KHB or BKH for Kleinhüningen 'Bann' (jurisdiction). When the parish of Kleinhüningen was incorporated into Basle in 1908 the boundary between the parishes disappeared. When the stone was removed from Kleinhüningerstrasse 137, three greywacke stones were found buried underneath as blazes (secret boundary signs).