idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
The State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt is currently conducting excavations at the former monastery of Kaltenborn. Continued research into this site of the German Peasants' War is possible thanks to funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the state of Saxony-Anhalt as part of the commemorative year 'Justice. Thomas Müntzer & 500 years of the Peasants' War'. The State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt is also supported by the municipality of Emseloh, the town of Allstedt and 10 to 15 dedicated volunteers. This year's research focuses on the economic areas of the large monastery complex.
New excavations at the deserted Augustinian monastery of Kaltenborn
In the spring of 1525, the Augustinian monastery of Kaltenborn (municipality of Emseloh, town of Allstedt, district of Mansfeld-Südharz), once one of the most prosperous monasteries in the Harz region, was plundered and destroyed in the course of the German Peasants' War. In the past two years, archaeological investigations by the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt have been dedicated to the surprisingly well-preserved remains of the former monastery church and the adjoining enclosure
Thanks to funding from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the state of Saxony-Anhalt as part of the commemorative year 'Justice. Thomas Müntzer & 500 Years of Peasants' War', the research excavation in the former Kaltenborn Monastery can be continued. For the first time the economic areas of the extensive complex are being examined in detail. The excavation team, led by Prof. Dr. Felix Biermann, is being joined not only by German and Polish students, but also by 10 to 15 volunteers who are gaining experience in archaeological field work under expert instruction. In addition, pupils from a school at the nearby municipality od Riestedt took part in the excavations with great commitment. The project also receives logistical support from the municipality of Emseloh and the town of Allstedt.
Busy everyday life and traces of violence: results of this year’s investigations
monastery, which has disappeared from the earth's surface today, was located within a roughly rectangular walled estate measuring 140 by 200 meters, in which various buildings were located. In addition to stables and barns, there were various workshops, a guest house, a school, possibly a hospital and other facilities that were necessary for the operation and administration of an economically important and wealthy monastery. These facilities are now being explored in more detail. In this way, the reconstruction of a medieval and early modern monastery, which was not only the religious, but also the economic and administrative center of its region, has been achieved in an outstanding way.
At shallow depths below the current surface, massive foundations, floors, cultural and debris layers as well as cellars of the massive stone buildings of the estate have been preserved, most of which were directly adjacent to the monastery wall. Among other things, a large, 30-metre-long, three-aisled building with very thick walls came to light, which probably served as a tithe barn for the storage of the peasant contributions. Another building may have been a forge. Half a dozen clay dome furnaces bear witness to intensive metalworking in the early days of the monastery, which was founded in 1118. In particular, the base of a bell casting facility with the characteristic, heavily fired hearth, with melted non-ferrous metal and molded parts has been preserved, which was probably used to cast a bell for the neighboring abbey church. In the gatehouse of the economic estate, a central pillar still bears witness to the vault of the first floor. In another building, three writing pens of the 12th or 13th century were found, which were made of non-ferrous metal and used to make notes on wax tablets. Part of the administration of the monastery estate, such as a chancellery, may have been located here. An oven with dried plums, which are completely charred and have therefore been preserved for centuries, testifies to the preparation of dried fruit, probably in the period soon after 1500. Of particular interest are also an excellently preserved stone altar base with pedestal and steps in the area of the southern aisle of the monastery church and a human skeleton, which was lying on its side in the excavated foundations of the presumed tithe barn. The question of when and why the headless corpse was laid down in this unusual place cannot be answered at present and will be the subject of further investigations.
Many coins, agricultural tools such as hatchets, hoes and a pitchfork, richly decorated fittings for belts and knife sheaths, spinning whorls as swing weights for spindle rods, broken pottery, stove tiles, window glass and animal bones, a remarkable rosette-shaped stucco decoration from the 12th century and numerous book fittings, together with the rich architectural remains, enable a multifaceted reconstruction of the vibrant everyday life that took place here over a good 420 years. All this came to an abrupt end with the Peasants' War and the Reformation.
The dramatic upheavals of 1525 are evidenced by the heavy layers of burnt material in the buildings of the estate, especially in the presumed tithe barn: remains of burnt roof beams and roof tiles of the ‘monk-nun’ type have been preserved directly beneath the plow horizon. However, it is not yet clear whether this destruction was caused by the attack carried out by the peasants of Riestedt and Emseloh on April 30, 1525, which is recorded in written sources, or by an earlier assault by a group of mercenaries just a month earlier, which is also historically documented. The latter had set fire to 14 stables and two barns in Kaltenborn on April 4, 1525 as part of a feud against the territorial ruler, Duke George of Saxony. In any case, the traces of destruction date directly from that spring 500 years ago, which was characterized by conflict and violence.
The Decentralized State Exhibition and outreach activities at authentic Peasants' War sites
From June 28 to November 30, 2025, the cabinet exhibition "Monasteries. Plundered. In the Turmoil of the Peasants' Revolts" offers visitors to the State Museum of Prehistory Halle (Saale) insights into ongoing research conducted by the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology since 2023 at three authentic Peasants' War sites in present-day Saxony-Anhalt: the former monasteries of Himmelpforte near Wernigerode (Harz district) and Kaltenborn in the Mansfeld-Südharz district, as well as the Mallerbach Chapel near Allstedt (also Mansfeld-Südharz), which was rediscovered only in 2024. The show is part of the decentralized state exhibition "Justice 1525." The focus is on finds and findings that shed light on the history and everyday life at these sites, as well as on the violent events that took place there 500 years ago.
The cabinet exhibition is accompanied by two corresponding exhibitions at the Harz Museum in Wernigerode and the Spengler Museum in Sangerhausen. The presentation "Between Heaven and Revolt. Himmelpforte Monastery and the Peasants' War" at the Harz Museum has already ended on August 10, 2025, whereas the exhibition "Destroyed. Forgotten. Excavated. Kaltenborn Monastery near Emseloh" in Sangerhausen can be seen until January 6, 2026. The two corresponding exhibitions focus on the sites and events in the region through, among other things, selected finds from excavations at the aforementioned monasteries.
From the end of July to mid-October 2025, thanks to funding by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media (BKM) and the State of Saxony-Anhalt as part of the commemorative year "Justice: Thomas Müntzer & 500 Years of the Peasants' War," and with the support of the cities of Wernigerode and Allstedt, research excavations can continue at the former monasteries of Himmelpforte and Kaltenborn, and the Mallerbach Chapel. After the investigations have already enjoyed great public interest and were supported by numerous volunteers in previous years, volunteer participation in the research excavations is once again possible at all three locations this year. In addition, interested parties can learn about the history, prosperity, and decline of the sites being explored, as well as the latest research findings, during guided excavation tours.
An in-depth approach to the archaeological traces of the Peasants' War and the related research of the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt is made possible by a series of documentary films on the research excavations, which are available with English subtitles in the media library and on the YouTube channel of the State Museum of Prehistory.
Archaeological excavations at Kaltenborn Monastery 2025, bird's eye view from the southeast.
Source: Robert Prust
Copyright: State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
The foundations of the presumed tithe barn of the monastery have been preserved at a shallow depth u ...
Source: Felix Biermann
Copyright: State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
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Archaeological excavations at Kaltenborn Monastery 2025, bird's eye view from the southeast.
Source: Robert Prust
Copyright: State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
The foundations of the presumed tithe barn of the monastery have been preserved at a shallow depth u ...
Source: Felix Biermann
Copyright: State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
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