Mediaeval and post mediaeval ferry systems at the rivers Main and Neckar

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ingolf Ericsson
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: from 2011 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 200237363

The central topic of this project is the research on infrastructural systems in southern Germany since the Early Middle Ages. Starting from ferries as connectors between land and river traffic, we attempt to analyze the development of river crossing and their impact on the growth of traffic and population. To accomplish this, archaeological, written and historical-geographical sources has to be considered. Basis of the archaeological research are the worldwide unique finding conditions at the Main river. Within the current project it was possible to identify and investigate 115 logboats. Apart from a few exceptions, these finds were parts of mediaeval and post mediaeval ferry constructions. Due to this huge amount of remains a detailed analysis of one river system concerning this vessel type, which was used in most parts of Europe, is possible for the first time. Combined with 68 datings based on scientific methods and mostly made in cooperation with the Bavarian Office for the Preservation of Historical Monuments, it was possible to prove a wide range of construction techniques, which can be distinguished on regional and chronological points of view. The archaeological research will be complemented by extensive analyses of the written sources on ferries and ferry stations. Only the comparison of published written remains in a large-scale made an assessment of river crossing and their connected road-systems possible. To accomplish this, the Neckar river was chosen additionally to the Main river although for a comparison. This leads to a total number of 224 river crossings in the research area. Especially in early and high mediaeval times the identification of the shape of the river crossing just by written sources is only possible with great difficulty. This means a number of questions remain unanswered. The link between the single ferry-station and its surrounding cultural landscape is the goal of the historical-geographical investigation. To accomplish this, the results of the analyzing of the archaeological and written sources will be matched with post-mediaeval and early modern maps in a geo-information-system. In this way the changes inside the supra-regional used traffic systems will become clear. Finally the results will be published in the monographic series -Schriften des Deutschen Schiffahrtsmuseums- in Bremerhaven.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants