[[Archeology|Archeological]] evidence suggests that hunter-gatherers were already settled in the lowlands north of the [[Swiss Alps|Alps]] in the [[Middle Paleolithic]] period 150,000 years ago.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://history-switzerland.geschichte-schweiz.ch/prehistory-lake-dwellings.html|title=Switzerland's Prehistory: Stone Age, Lake Dwellings|website=history-switzerland.geschichte-schweiz.ch|access-date=November 24, 2013|archive-date=January 3, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160103114925/http://history-switzerland.geschichte-schweiz.ch/prehistory-lake-dwellings.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Agriculture in Switzerland]] began around 5500 BC. By the [[Neolithic]] period, the area was relatively densely populated. Remains of [[Bronze Age]] [[pile dwelling]]s from as early as 3800 BC<ref>{{cite news|title=Prehistoric find located beneath the waves|date=September 10, 2007|author=Julia Slater|publisher=[[swissinfo]]|url=http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/social_affairs/detail/Prehistoric_find_located_beneath_the_waves.html?siteSect=201&sid=8202971|access-date=September 15, 2007|archive-date=June 16, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080616154424/http://www.swissinfo.org/eng/social_affairs/detail/Prehistoric_find_located_beneath_the_waves.html?siteSect=201&sid=8202971|url-status=dead}}</ref> have been found in the shallow areas of many lakes. Around 1500 BC, [[Celt]]ic tribes settled in the area. The [[Raetia]]ns lived in the eastern regions, while the west was occupied by the [[Helvetii]].
A femalewoman who died in about 200 BC was found buried in a carved tree trunk during a construction project at the Kern school complex in March 2017 in [[Aussersihl]]. Archaeologists revealed that she was approximately 40 years old when she died and likely carried out little physical labor when she was alive. A sheepskin coat, a belt chain, a fancy wool dress, a scarf and a pendant made of glass, and amber beads were also discovered with the woman.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livescience.com/66056-iron-age-celtic-woman-burial.html|title=Iron Age Celtic Woman Wearing Fancy Clothes Buried in This 'Tree Coffin' in Switzerland|first=Laura|last=Geggel|website=livescience.com|date=July 30, 2019|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05|archive-date=April 19, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200419003407/https://www.livescience.com/66056-iron-age-celtic-woman-burial.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/hbd/de/index/ueber_das_departement/medien/medienmitteilungen/2019/juli/190705a.html|title=Kelte trifft Keltin: Ergebnisse zu einem aussergewöhnlichen Grabfund – Stadt Zürich|website=www.stadt-zuerich.ch|language=de|access-date=2020-04-05|archive-date=May 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200514013525/https://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/hbd/de/index/ueber_das_departement/medien/medienmitteilungen/2019/juli/190705a.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iron-age-celtic-woman-was-buried-hollowed-out-tree-trunk-180972773/|title=This Iron Age Celtic Woman Was Buried in a Hollowed-Out Tree Trunk|last=Solly|first=Meilan|website=Smithsonian Magazine|language=en|access-date=2020-04-05|archive-date=August 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200809002634/https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/iron-age-celtic-woman-was-buried-hollowed-out-tree-trunk-180972773/|url-status=live}}</ref>
