Sensational find in Erfurt: Historical bronze pot discovered from the Middle Ages!

Sensational find in Erfurt: Historical bronze pot discovered from the Middle Ages!

During excavation work on Domstrasse in Erfurt, construction workers came across a remarkable archaeological treasure: a three-footed bronze pot, also known as grapes. This extraordinary find from the Middle Ages weighs almost 1.5 kilograms and is the first of its kind to be discovered in the region in recent years. Grap pots made of metal are extremely rare, in Thuringia only three to four copies are known in this state of preservation, as [thueringingen24.de] reports.

The grapese pot is exhibited in the Erfurt city museum "Haus zum Stockfisch" and is part of the special exhibition "Navel of the World. Erfurt's archaeological treasures". However, this exhibition will only be shown until the end of June before the pot is restored. The restoration process could take several weeks, since the exact material composition of the pot - whether it is bell bronze or brass - must be determined.

A look at the story

Originally, the pot was probably used in a wealthy household in the cathedral quarters, which was demolished in 1830. The construction company, which made the find, immediately informed the garden and cemetery office, which the Thuringian State Office for Monument Preservation and Archeology took. Grap pots like this have been manufactured in Germany since the 13th century and were mainly used as pots on a brick stove, which underlines its importance as an everyday object, so [Erfurt.de].

The use of a suction excavator turned out to be a stroke of luck because it hardly caused any damage to the find. A conventional excavator would probably only have left shards. The restoration takes place under the microscope and aims to remove the last corrosion layer of the pot so that future generations can better understand the story behind this fascinating piece.

The importance of archaeological finds

The find of the grapese pot is not only significant for Erfurt, but also for archaeological research as a whole. Archaeologists document finds such as this with the help of measurements, photographs and scenes -like drawings. These methods are crucial to understand the finds correctly and to interpret their historical context, as is explained on [Middle Ages of History.de].

grapese pots are a rarity and its design testifies to the craftsmanship of past eras. They not only reflect everyday life, but also the social status of their owners. The Grapentopf is a valuable piece of history that also offers today's citizens a bridge to the past and makes the wealth of the cultural inheritance of Thuringia visible.