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Sensational find in Erfurt: Historical bronze pot from the Middle Ages discovered!
Erfurt construction workers found a rare bronze pot from the Middle Ages. It is now being restored and exhibited in the city museum.
Sensational find in Erfurt: Historical bronze pot from the Middle Ages discovered!
During excavation work on Domstrasse in Erfurt, construction workers came across a remarkable archaeological treasure: a tripod bronze pot, also known as a grape. 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. Metal grape pots are extremely rare; only three to four examples in this state of preservation are known in Thuringia, as [thueringen24.de] reports.
The grape 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 on display until the end of June before the pot is restored. The restoration process could take several weeks as the exact material composition of the pot - whether it is bell bronze or brass - needs to be determined.
A look into history
The pot was originally used in a wealthy household in the cathedral quarter, which was demolished in 1830. The construction company that made the discovery immediately informed the garden and cemetery office, which called in the Thuringian State Office for Monument Preservation and Archeology. Grape pots like this have been made in Germany since the 13th century and were primarily used as cooking pots on a brick stove, underscoring its importance as an everyday item, according to [erfurt.de].
The use of a suction excavator turned out to be a lucky move as it hardly caused any damage to the find. A conventional excavator would probably only have left behind shards. The restoration takes place under the microscope and aims to remove the final layer of corrosion from the pot so that future generations can better understand the story behind this fascinating piece.
The importance of archaeological finds
The discovery of the grape pot is not only important for Erfurt, but also for archaeological research as a whole. Archaeologists document finds like this using surveys, photographs and scale drawings. These methods are crucial to properly understand the finds and interpret their historical context, as explained on [mediealterliche-geschichte.de].
Grape pots are a rarity and their design testifies to the craftsmanship of bygone eras. They reflect not only 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 Thuringia's cultural heritage visible.