Archaeologists working in eastern Germany have discovered an architectural gem – a perfectly intact ornate keystone. Dating to the 14th century, it was once part of a medieval monastery.
Archaeological excavations have been taking place near the hamlet of Posa, located in the German state of Thuringia. Since 2017, work carried out by the Saxony-Anhalt State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archeology (LDA) and the newly founded Association for the Promotion of Archeology and Historical Research Zeitz e. V. has focused on an area where the cloister of the monastery was once located.
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The research has already revealed that a castle of considerable importance existed here as early as the 9th and 10th centuries, and a church building was possibly built as early as the 10th century. In 1114 a Benedictine monastery was founded on the prominent mountain spur, which lasted for hundreds of years before almost completely disappearing in the 17th century.
Overview of the south wing of the cloister with the floor from the time of construction (14th century) – Photo by Philipp Baumgarten / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
Earlier this summer, the annual archaeological excavations took place at Posa under the direction of Holger Rode. The focus of the current excavation is the area south of the church, where the cloister of the monastery was once located. It began with an examination of a massive accumulation of rubble that was left behind after the demolition of the monastery that took place in about 1657. At that time, the monastery served as a quarry for the extraction of building materials for the new construction of Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz. Large areas of the foundations of the monastery buildings were also broken down to the last stone.
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Beneath this leveled layer of debris, some parts of the south wing of the enclosure were found in an unexpectedly good state of preservation. The north facade of the cloister is still about 70 centimeters high over a length of about 10 meters. The buttresses made of ashlar masonry towards the cross courtyard are particularly impressive. There are even remains of plaster on the inside of the cloister.
Well preserved buttress of the north facade of the cloister made of clean ashlar masonry. Some of the stone from the older Romanesque cloister was reused here – Photo by Philipp Baumgarten / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
The floors of the southern cloister wing are still almost complete. The upper one consisted mainly of very high-quality red brick chippings, which was probably supposed to have the appearance of red marble. Flaws in the screed floor indicate the position of grave slabs, which were removed as valuable building material.
Surprisingly, larger sandstones were also found in the up to 1.80 meter thick layers of rubble above the ruins, which had been overlooked when the building material was salvaged or was perhaps simply too heavy. In addition to parts of the vaulted ribs of the cloister, some of which still have remnants of a red paint finish, a completely intact keystone of the former cloister vault represents a special find. Vine leaves and grapes are depicted on its face. They refer to the long history of local viticulture, which was successfully revived just a few years ago.
Keystone of the former cloister vault with vine leaves and grapes, first half of the 14th century. Phot by Philipp Baumgarten / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
The finding of the keystone and some other stones now allows a comparatively exact dating of the southern wing of the cloister to the end of the first third of the 14th century. Comparable stones of this type are known from the cloister of the Zeitz Cathedral and the Naumburg Cathedral. The 14th-century cloister at Posa replaced a Romanesque predecessor. The monastery church, rediscovered in 2017, also shows a modernization of the originally Romanesque building in the Gothic style during the 14th century.
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A large iron key (28 cm long) from the 12th or 13th century, found on the floor of the east wing of the cloister – Photo by Philipp Baumgarten / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
Further archaeological investigations will focus on parts of the southern and eastern cloister wing and the cross courtyard. The aim is to learn more about the older church, believed to be beneath the Gothic and Romanesque walls and floors. The first traces of this presumed early sacred building have been uncovered in recent years. It was probably built in the 10th century and burned down at the end of the 11th century.
Ceramics from the 9th century – Photo by Philipp Baumgarten / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
Archaeologists working in eastern Germany have discovered an architectural gem – a perfectly intact ornate keystone. Dating to the 14th century, it was once part of a medieval monastery.
Archaeological excavations have been taking place near the hamlet of Posa, located in the German state of Thuringia. Since 2017, work carried out by the Saxony-Anhalt State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archeology (LDA) and the newly founded Association for the Promotion of Archeology and Historical Research Zeitz e. V. has focused on an area where the cloister of the monastery was once located.
The research has already revealed that a castle of considerable importance existed here as early as the 9th and 10th centuries, and a church building was possibly built as early as the 10th century. In 1114 a Benedictine monastery was founded on the prominent mountain spur, which lasted for hundreds of years before almost completely disappearing in the 17th century.
Earlier this summer, the annual archaeological excavations took place at Posa under the direction of Holger Rode. The focus of the current excavation is the area south of the church, where the cloister of the monastery was once located. It began with an examination of a massive accumulation of rubble that was left behind after the demolition of the monastery that took place in about 1657. At that time, the monastery served as a quarry for the extraction of building materials for the new construction of Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz. Large areas of the foundations of the monastery buildings were also broken down to the last stone.
Beneath this leveled layer of debris, some parts of the south wing of the enclosure were found in an unexpectedly good state of preservation. The north facade of the cloister is still about 70 centimeters high over a length of about 10 meters. The buttresses made of ashlar masonry towards the cross courtyard are particularly impressive. There are even remains of plaster on the inside of the cloister.
The floors of the southern cloister wing are still almost complete. The upper one consisted mainly of very high-quality red brick chippings, which was probably supposed to have the appearance of red marble. Flaws in the screed floor indicate the position of grave slabs, which were removed as valuable building material.
Surprisingly, larger sandstones were also found in the up to 1.80 meter thick layers of rubble above the ruins, which had been overlooked when the building material was salvaged or was perhaps simply too heavy. In addition to parts of the vaulted ribs of the cloister, some of which still have remnants of a red paint finish, a completely intact keystone of the former cloister vault represents a special find. Vine leaves and grapes are depicted on its face. They refer to the long history of local viticulture, which was successfully revived just a few years ago.
The finding of the keystone and some other stones now allows a comparatively exact dating of the southern wing of the cloister to the end of the first third of the 14th century. Comparable stones of this type are known from the cloister of the Zeitz Cathedral and the Naumburg Cathedral. The 14th-century cloister at Posa replaced a Romanesque predecessor. The monastery church, rediscovered in 2017, also shows a modernization of the originally Romanesque building in the Gothic style during the 14th century.
Further archaeological investigations will focus on parts of the southern and eastern cloister wing and the cross courtyard. The aim is to learn more about the older church, believed to be beneath the Gothic and Romanesque walls and floors. The first traces of this presumed early sacred building have been uncovered in recent years. It was probably built in the 10th century and burned down at the end of the 11th century.
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