The Early Medieval Ceramics of Gars-Thunau (Lower Austria)

In the Early Medieval (8-10th century AD) Central Europe the formation of centres of power took place in the same period at several locations. This development can be observed in today`s Austria, as well as in the neighbouring countries: the Cech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. In the proposed project one of these centres, the fortified settlement of Gars-Thunau (Lower-Austria) is going to be investigated. The main goal of the project is to set a new research focus in the investigation of this early example of a true Central-European phenomenon. One of the greatest tasks in the analysis of the Early Medieval centres is the processing of the large amounts of ceramic-finds. On the one hand the large amounts cause a problem for the investigators and, on the other hand, the relative uniformity of the ceramic-material inhibits the chronological analysis of these finds. It is, however, only through the chronological analysis of the finds possible to make a broad comparison between the history, economy and society of the different sites. In the proposed project it is intended to find a solution for this research problem on the example of the analysis of the ceramic-finds from Gars-Thunau. An important innovation of this project is to classify the Early Medieval ceramics on the basis of the composition of its material and on the basis of the applied potter`s technology. In this classification the scientific analysis methods (thin section analysis, X-ray diffraction analysis and X-ray fluorescence analysis) are going to play a major role. The results of the investigation of ceramic finds are finally going to be analysed in relation to the excavated settlement features with the help of a Geographical Information System (GIS). With the help of this analysis it is intended to investigate the spatial and chronological structure of the site of Gars-Thunau. A second aspect of the ceramics analysis is to open a window to the rarely examined framework and development of Early Medieval crafts on the example of ceramics production at a central place of the Early Middle Ages in Central Europe. The objective data from the scientific investigations are not only going to allow the analysis of large amounts of ceramics from one site, but also are going to make it possible in the future to establish relations between different sites. In this way the research of this important period of the formation of Central Europe receives a significant impulse.