Dendrecological investigations on mine timber from "Rammelsberg" near Goslar and mine "Roter Baer" near St. Andreasberg. A contribution to mining archaeology in the Harz mountains for the exploration of a mining and environmental archive

• Applicants: Dr. Andreas Bauerochse; Professor Dr. Hermann Behling
• Subject Area: Prehistory and World Archaeology
• Term: from 2016 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 323489748

Since pre-history wood was an important raw material in mountain mining. It was used multifariously: above ground and under ground as timber, for ore mining and for smelting processes.Woodden artefacts of former mining, conserved in mines and overburden stockpiles are unique archives. Today its dendrochronologically and dendrecologically analysis can provide insights in history of mountain mining, forest management, and environmental change of the Harz mountains. The project focusses on two mines, the world heritage site Rammelsberg near Goslar and the mine Roter Baer near St. Andreasberg (upper Harz region). There galleries will be prospected with regard to subfossil construction wood. Together with already retrieved wood from a burried medieval gallery this wood will be investigated. Regarding the different stage of preservation and the specific finding situation (mineral crusts, degree of decomposition) adapted sampling and conservation techniques will be developed to enable the sampling, treatment, and archival storage. The project is made to estimate the potential and in preparation for an interdisciplinary study about the history of early Harz mining industry.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Co-Investigator: Dr. Lothar Klappauf