Erdstall
As Erdstall a medieval man-made underground, not brick-lined duct system is referred to in the northeastern foothills of the Alps. " Erdstall " means ' place under the earth ' or ' earth lugs ' and has nothing to do with a building for the separate accommodation of pets ( cattle shed ).
- 6.1 Places of worship
- 6.2 refuges
Designation
The vernacular names the plant " underground tunnels " or simply " secret passages ". Especially in Bavaria, the term " Schratzlloch " is used because they were dug to the popular belief of dwarfs ( Schratzl, Schrazel, sycophants ). In addition, often in Upper Austria " Grufen " and manifold local terms are terms such as " dwarf " or " Quergloch " before. Since the 19th century the common in Lower Austria term " Erdstall " became prevalent in the literature.
Description
The courses are usually arranged at an angle, up to 60 cm wide and only 1.0 to 1.4 m high. In many Erdställen there are also so-called lamp niches and mostly terminal chamber-like extensions and booths. Narrow locations that can only be crossed by crawling are referred to as " slip ".
Manifestations
In order to systematise a rough categorization of the most common types of Erdstallforschern was made:
- Type A has a longer main gear with slip through and page transitions.
- Type B is spread over several floors, which are connected by vertical shelters. Even a sealed with a dry stone wall Bauhilfsschacht is encountered. At the end of the corridor there are alcoves or a room extension with a bench.
- Type C usually has horizontal and shelters, permits an upright commission in the region of the transition at the end or middle of a tour.
- Type D has chambers which are connected by passageways. The constrictions between are invested primarily horizontal.
Dissemination
Erdställe there is in England ( about 700 ), Upper Austria, Lower Austria and sporadically in Styria and Burgenland. Similar systems are also known in Baden- Württemberg, Saxony -Anhalt, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. The geographical distribution of Erdställe is partly due to geological conditions. The floor must be sufficiently strong and well edited. Corresponding conditions provides about the loess, Schliersee, clay, sandstone, or so-called Flins ( weathered granite ). In solid rock or loose gravel Erdställe do not occur.
Underground objects in a similar design, but other time position and probably also function can be found in the UK (especially Scotland ), Ireland, Spain and France, where they are called the basement, Weem, Fogou or Earth House.
There are also legends of underground tunnels that will connect a point A to a several kilometers distant place B. Erdställe this length, but there is no. Existing duct systems are rarely longer than 50 meters. But true core behind such announcements is often that a Erdstall exists in both places.
- Zlabings: Erdställe archaeologically investigated under several points of the deserted house Pfaffenschlag, in the 1970s
- Dürnkrut: When discovered cellar renovation work Erdstall.
- Nonndorf (city Raab an der Thaya ): Very beautiful and well-preserved Erdstall with tour under a farm.
- Kleinzwettl: Erdstall with tour under a fortified church.
- Ruppersthal: Erdställe on several properties of the place.
- Mr. Baumgarten: Several houses have a Erdstall.
- Gaweinstal: In a basement excavation accidentally found Erdstall.
- Thaya: In a deserted mansion, the hardware
- Althöflein ( cadastral district of Großkrut ): Erdstallanlagen in Chapel Hill, including Erdstallmuseum.
- Erdstall Ratgöbluckn in Perg
- Erdstall under the Denkmalhof " Mittermayr " at the Open Air Museum Pelmberg, community Hellmonsödt
- Erdstall Flehlucka in the community Wartberg
- Erdstall at Gasthof Populorum in the town of Bad Zell
- Erdstall under the Gasthof Wösner in the community Münzkirchen
- Erdstall under the farmhouse small minor mountain # 2 in the town of Neustift im Mühlkreisautobahn
- Teunz: Erdstall Höcherlmühle, discovered in 2002 in an open field
- Mitter Cutting Hart: Erdstall with intersecting corridors under a courtyard next to the church, filled in the 15th century
- Erdstall Doblberg at Glonn
- Erdstall of Rot am See
- Ringingen: Erdstall under the brewery in the Adlerbrauerei
Time position
The Erdställe were built during the slash-and- occupation period in the High Middle Ages. They are about 800 to 1000 years old. On the basis of findings can determine when the earth stables were built and used.
Construction
A charcoal Fund from the Bauhilfsschacht a Erdstalls in Bad Zell (Upper Austria ) was dated to the period 1030-1210 by means of radiocarbon dating ( 14C). The Erdstall Höcherlmühle (Bayern ) is also after a 14C - dating of the Bausch Eight earliest between the late 10th and mid-11th century AD were built. Since Bauhilfsschächte were created and filled in only for the establishment of a Erdstalls once the Erdstall was completed, it can be assumed that the earth stables have been built in this period. In Erdstall of Rot am See, a gear with stone blocks was subsequently narrowed again to a slip through what happened after a 14C - dating of Lehmverfugung 1034-1268 AD.
Use
In addition, make discoveries in Erdställen a statement as to when the courses were visited by people.
- Charcoal from the Erdstall of Trebersdorf, which was dated by radiocarbon dating yielded a date 950-1050.
- Radiocarbon dating of samples from the Erdstall of Kühried in Bavaria showed a date 950-1160.
In a Erdstall in Pregarten in the district of Freistadt found at the end of a corridor, a wooden stool, a fireplace and ceramic. It involves fragments of vessels with soil characters from the period around 1100. A Erdstall in the parish of St. Agatha in the district of Gries churches ceramic fragments found by vessels of the 12th century.
Documented reference
The first written mention of the name " Erdstall " dates back to 1449th in the land register of the rule Asparn Zaya a subject called Methl Huendl mentioned that to the 3 ½ acre large yoke "on the erdstelln " six penny to the rule has to pay. A subject called Tumeregker must be for three yoke large field "on the erdstelln " also paid six penny on delivery.
Purpose
The purpose of the Erdställe is unclear. There are two theses that are facing each other.
Places of Worship
The places of worship thesis assumes that it is symbolic empty graves at Erdställen. Such empty graves said to have been dug by medieval settlers at the new place of residence in order to create a new, symbolic grave for the souls of their ancestors, because they had to leave before the ancient settlement places the ancient tombs. A variant is the thesis of the " soul chamber ". Died in 2007, local historian Anton Haschner from market Indian village suspected in the Erdställen a temporary abode of the souls of the deceased, where they would spend the "waiting period " to the Last Judgement. The survivors wanted to avoid so that the deceased could spread fear and terror among the people. Only when the theological notion of purgatory took shape in the late 11th century, people stopped trying to build Erdställe, believing now kept safe in an otherworldly place the souls.
It is sometimes used as an argument for the thesis that some components have Erdställe pointed arch, which remind you of sacred buildings. However, the emergence in the 13th century pointed arch is not limited to religious buildings, he finds himself as a typical stylistic and constructive element of the Gothic era as well to the secular buildings. The construction element of the tour at the end of some Erdstall systems can be attributed to no practical use.
Refuges
This assumption is the refuge thesis against. According to this thesis Erdställe were created as concealed spaces where people at risk about in raids were " swallowed by the earth " disappear. The main arguments for and against the respective theses should be listed here. Many Erdställe have construction elements, which can be explained only useful for an interpretation as a refuge, as locking devices that can be operated only from the inside. Also niches, benches and air holes in Erdställen point to the use by man.
The typical Erdställe skintight shelters provide effective protection against intruders. The narrow and winding passages force invaders, individually and move around in crawling position. When crossing the constriction an intruder is clearly limited in its freedom of movement and can not use his hands to his defense. So intruders are a defender helpless and can even be overwhelmed by a much weaker opponent. The narrow and easy to be camouflaged entrances prove the secrecy of the system.
In raids Erdstall allows rapid disappearance and hiding. Erdställe, which are in direct connection with medieval fortifications and are an integral part of the defense system, also speak for the refuges thesis. Examples of such Erdstallanlagen can be found at the local mountain of Gaiselberg or Großriedenthal (Lower Austria ), or under the fortified church of Kleinzwettl (Lower Austria, district Waidhofen an der Thaya ). From this fortified church from a 52 -meter-long vein system is accessible.
If not from the time of its construction, so there is still plenty of evidence that Erdställe were at least later used again and again as a refuge for plants and are quite suitable. That Erdställe for a short stay are suitable, it is empirically proven. Three people could easily survive for 48 hours in a Erdstall in an experiment.
On the other hand, the stay in Erdställen is inconvenient in the chambers, one adult can not usually stand upright. Restricted freedom of movement, cold and moisture are a significant burden dar. Erdställe are suitable because the vital food needs to be taken only for a short stay. In Erdstallanlagen also lacks the possibility to dispose of feces. This can best be buried.
Sick, the elderly and fat people or pregnant women can not pass through the narrow hiding places. The ruling in Erdställen low temperature can not be increased by a fire from lack of oxygen and of fume. When looters have discovered the entrance to a Erdstall, they had people in Erdstall fumigate or can fill in what would have been the result of suffocation in Erdstall trapped.
Moreover, hardly artifacts were found in Erdställen, which argues against the stay of people.
Erdstallforschung
As a pioneer of Erdstallforschung applies the Benedictine Father Lambert Karner ( Göttweig ). He studied from 1879 to 1903 numerous Erdställe and published his findings in the book " Artificial caves from ancient times ." Karner leads in his work on a number of arguments against the theory of escape.
Local historian Franz Xaver Kiessling focused specifically on the Erdställen the Waldviertel ( Northwestern Lower Austria).
In Bavaria, Karl Fischer Black continued from 1950/60 extensively with Erdställen apart and founded in 1973 the Working Group for Erdstallforschung. From him went through his research, publications and a broad public relations from many pulses. He is considered the forerunner of today Erdstallforschung active in the German-speaking countries. Karl Fischer Black died in September 2001., The Working Group for Erdstallforschung based in Roding ( Bavaria ) coordinates the Erdstallforschungen with excavations, surveys and international meetings and published since 1975 in its annual booklets Erdstall The current research results.
Only in recent decades Erdställe are sometimes examined by the competent authorities of monuments. Examples are the Erdställe of Stützenhofen in Lower Austria in 1983, Rot am See in Baden- Württemberg in 1990, Mitter cutting hard in Lower Bavaria in 1991 and 2011 in the Upper Bavarian Glonn. So today, the importance of historic preservation Erdställe is recognized.
Museums and publicly accessible Erdställe
At Chapel Hill by Althöflein, market town Großkrut, in Lower Austria, there is a Erdstallmuseum, in which the local Erdställe can be visited. In addition, a section about Erdställe and Schrazellöcher is integrated in Kreismuseum forest Erbach in the Upper Palatinate.
In a guided tour of an underground duct system can be visited in Zwiesel (Bavaria), whose origins lie in Erdställen.
From 2010 to 2012, shown in Glentleiten, Passau and Kelheim a traveling exhibition on Erdställe.
The Erdstall Ratgöbluckn in Perg is the largest walk Erdstall in Upper Austria and one of the grounds of the Heritage House City Museum Perg
Media
In the pilot episode " The Labyrinth " the ZDF television series "your order, Pater Castell " is about Erdställe.