30.09.2010

Archeological excavation in the Hildesheim cathedral uncover bricks of the thousand years old floor

Hildesheim (bph) In the Hildesheim cathedral a new bishop's vaul is in the making. The archeologists presently work in a deep hole in the nave of the church, some old graves are already uncovered. At the same time a block of complete extant floorbricks was found from the time of bishop Bernward (993 – 1022).

Together with his excavation-team Dr. Helmut Brandorff opens the grave of bishop Berthold I.; Origin of photo material: Kirchenzeitung (church's newspaper)

„This floor really is unique for the former time and allows new insights in the works of Bernward“, rejoices dioceseconservator Prof. Dr. Karl Bernhard Kruse. Together with excavation-leader Dr. Helmut Brandorff he is on the track of the mysteries, which remain dormant in the ground and wait for their discovery.

A big surprise was, when the excavation-team came across an old, so far unknown cemetery under the bishop's graves. Directly after the foundation of the diocese in 815 there were buried the first Hildesheim Christians until the building of the Altfriedcathedral in 852. The cemetery assumedly belonged to the emperorchapel of Louis the Pious which was built after 815 and was located more easterly. The skeletons were salvaged nearly complete and some bones were sent to the radiocarbon dating, to determine the exact age. Also a Hildesheim criminalanthropologist analyses the nature of the material. Already known is, that two women are among the dead. Two metres under the excavated graves are assumed another 40 burials. „So deep we are not going to dig“, elucidates Kruse the action.

Mysterious is a gravefind in central position direct in front of the choir. The prominently position refers to a high-ranking person. Probably the first bishop's grave was built there after the completion of the Altfriedcathedral in 872. Perhaps you can find several bishops in the tomb, the explorations are at their beginning. The same applies for the grave of bishop Berthold I. (1119 – 1130), which was openend last.

The bishop's vaul will be exposed to profound works during the next months. Stakes are bringed in for the stabilisation, before excavating machines can expedite the workings. The workings will be completed in winter. Later on the decedents Hildesheim bishops Joseph Godehard Machens, Heinrich Maria Jansson and Josef Homeyer will find there their last resting place.