In earlier times the vineyards were closed in the autumn before the grapes were ripe. At the same time the fields were guarded by the Weingartenhirta. The shepherd's huts were the living quarters of the vineyard keepers at this time. They had to spend the time in the vineyards day and night until the end of the grape harvest.
Huts like these used to be used as accommodation for the field guards who were present day and night in the vineyards. They were mostly made of stone, built into the slope, covered with earth and in a place from which the area to be guarded could be viewed well.
The furniture was very simple: a brick fireplace with an open smoke outlet, a simple wooden cot, a table, a chair, a wall niche for storing food, a hook for clothes and a tub for washing.