Vandalism on an archaeological burial site at Naumburg Cathedral. The investigation is still ongoing, the act of unknown persons could be a serious loss for science. Archaeologists are looking for structural traces of the medieval church.
Naumburg (dpa/sa) – The archaeological search for the northern enclosure on Naumburg Cathedral Square has suffered a setback due to vandalism. According to the police, unknown persons broke through the fence on Friday night and destroyed several skeletons in two open graves. For tactical reasons, there is currently no further information. The excavation has been running since May 23rd. “So far, twenty graves and various meter-long remains of walls have been uncovered,” said excavation manager and archaeologist Holger Rode from the State Office for Monument Preservation and Archeology in Saxony-Anhalt.
The delimited area for members of an order is referred to as a cloister (Latin for closure). It serves the community as a place of retreat. Only a few outsiders, such as doctors or craftsmen, are allowed to enter this area temporarily.
“In the Middle Ages, parts of the building at the cathedral were demolished and the area used as a cemetery,” said the archaeologist. “The remains of women, men and children were uncovered. So this was not a special burial place for clergy.”
The excavation work is being carried out in advance of the planned redesign of the cathedral square. “The area has never been archaeologically examined,” said Rode. “The excavations will be completed at the end of August, and the first results will be available by then.”
One theory is that at times there was a north and a south cloister at Naumburg Cathedral. “But maybe the construction of the north cloister was started, later the cloister moved to the south side, so that there was only one cloister at a time,” explained Rode. “This is where the scientific investigations come in, the remains of the wall that have now been discovered do not have to come from an enclosure, but could belong to buildings of the previous church.”
The Naumburg Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul is an important cultural monument from the European High Middle Ages. The twelve donor figures from the middle of the 13th century are famous, especially the donor figure Uta. She symbolizes the “most beautiful woman of the Middle Ages”. Naumburg Cathedral has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2018.
