Kultur-Schloss Theuern

Research

COOPERATION "ANTIQUE MATERIALS"

In 2020, the Mining and Industrial Museum of Eastern Bavaria and the Department of Ancient History at the University of Regensburg signed a five-year cooperation agreement on the topic of "Ancient Materials".

The central aim here is to gain new insights into the production and processing of historical materials within the framework of archaeological test series.

The cooperation has not only established a continuous exchange of ideas between the institutions, but has also linked the scientific resources of the University of Regensburg with the museum facilities of the Mining and Industrial Museum of Eastern Bavaria. As a lively place of research and learning, the museum is thus able to inspire young people for crafts, mining and industry.

In the long term, the Mining and Industrial Museum of Eastern Bavaria aims to create a supra-regional network of scientists specialising in mining history topics. In this way, a targeted pooling of expertise and knowledge - particularly in the field of experimental iron research - is to be achieved in the Upper Palatinate.

Experimental archaeological test series on charcoal extraction in the early medieval pit pile

Charcoal was an important raw material for iron production and processing from prehistory and early history right through to modern times. Charcoal burning therefore played an essential role in the development of the Upper Palatinate iron industry. Numerous archaeologically recorded charcoal burning sites provide evidence of the regional production of charcoal from the Early Middle Ages at the latest. For example, the remains of an early medieval pit charcoal kiln were uncovered and investigated directly in front of the Theuerner Hammerherrenschloss.

Although the charring of wood in smaller pit boilers was still practised until modern times, many questions about the exact function, construction and effectiveness of pit boilers remain unanswered to this day.

In order to gain new insights into the function, effectiveness and cost of charcoal production in pit charcoal kilns, an experimental archaeological test series was carried out from 14 to 25 March 2022 on the charcoal burner site in Ebermannsdorf (Amberg-Sulzbach district) by the Mining and Industrial Museum of Eastern Bavaria, the Ebermannsdorf charcoal burner friends and the University of Regensburg.