The infrastructural enviroment of the hillfort of Thunau

During the archaeological investigations on the fortified hilltop settlement of Thunau the prominent, long known early medieval graveyard down by the river Kamp has been pointed out at various occasions. Although in the course of regular excavations and rescue digs up to 1986 a number of mostly disturbed burials and some dwelling structures were documented, the main interest remained focused on the fortified settlement on top of the Schanzberg. Due to building activities in the valley in 2004 more interest was attracted to the archaeological situation in this area. Beside two sections of the graveyard yielding some 40 burials it was possible to document large scale well preserved dwelling structures, such as pit houses, storage pits, ovens and a pottery kiln. The structures extended to the very bank of the Kamp River. The main part of the dwelling activities dates to the 9th and 10th century, which correlates very well with the data from the hilltop settlement. Beside the Early Middle Ages, also traces of other periods already known from the Schanzberg settlement were evident in the valley too, mainly late Bronze Age and late Iron Age. Of special interest are the possible continuity of the rural settlement up to the 11th century and some structures dating to the Late Middle Ages. So, possibly, this area can be regarded as the so far missing link in the transition of the seat of administrative power from the Schanzberg settlement to the medieval castle of the margraves of Babenberg on the neighbouring Schloßberg. The promising results of the latest excavations since 2004 shall form the stock for the project applied for. In the course of this, first , more attention will be directed to early medieval rural settlements in general, so far mainly neglected in archaeological literature, and, secondly, to the historic process of the transition of authority between the early medieval settlement and the high medieval castle within the modern village of Thunau. The FWF project applied for contains both archaeological excavations and their comprehensive analysis (archaeological, natural and historical sciences). The excavations with a staff between 6 and 10 archaeologists are planned to take place in the summer months (July - September) during a 3 year period, the analysis of results will proceed all the year round. The parcel no. 98/1, currently used as grassland, was selected as site for the investigations. This was first because it is the last area still undisturbed by terracing or modern building, and second, here the boundary between the cemetery and the early medieval village are likely to have been situated. Another important reason for this choice was the fact that according to the plans of the landowners the overbuilding is foreseeable within 10 years. This will make research almost impossible for long time and would mean the certain destruction to these valuable large scale settlement remains.

The aim of the project "The infrastructural environment of the hillfort of Thunau" (P 0002-G02) was the archaeological investigation of a part of the mostly unknown settlement in the valley. Respecting the little known early medieval remains; the site was believed to represent a simple rural settlement at the foot of the hillfort on the "Schanzberg". That assumption changed in the course of the project (November 2007 to October 2010) rapidly. The dense settlement remains as well as the find material lead us over to think about a function as a so called "suburbium" which is close connected to the fortifications on the "Schanzberg". This integral part of the early medieval centre is now interpreted as a productive interface between the hillfort and the agricultural hinterland of the Horn Basin. This new results will help to create a more complex model of the protourban centre of Thunau / Kamp. Similar contemporary sites, consisting from the three main parts of the forecastle, the maincastle with the manor and the suburbium are well known from Bohemia and Moravia. The suburbium is situated in an area restricted by the "Schanzberg" ( 120 m deeper), the "Goldberg" and the river Kamp and is also divided in three sectors of different use. The first two are the large graveyard dating to the 9th and 10th (11th?) century and the settlement area, which bore the main interest in the presented project. The third part is an "industrial area" with no residential function, nearly reaching down to the riverside. The settlement is defined about dwellings with residential function. Only minimal overlapping with the graveyard was documented in the north of it. The graves excavated within the project were mainly destroyed by agricultural activity while the settlement remains were protected by mighty erosion deposits. The most common type of building encountered is the pit house. Between those huts at least two different types, which seem to indicate a chronological development, could be sorted out. Beside those, also houses with even floor and different construction were documented. The most surprising objects were two long trenches, which emerged from a nearly dried up stream in the immediate vicinity. An interpretation as water supply or even as millrace for powering technical facilities (watermill or grinding mill) is assumed as new development in the 10th century. North of the trenches we found the remains of a blacksmith workshop and lots of dug in cupola furnaces (bakery). Storage pits and other pit shaped objects complete our picture of an Early Medieval settlement. Some burials between the dwellings show a lack of respect against bodies and are hard to explain by now. The find material of the settlement area in the valley itself shows different cultural influences. At the one hand they point to the Bavarian Eastland along the Danube River, at the other hand to Bohemia and Moravia. Because of that reasons we think about a function as a kind of junction in the network of relations in the mentioned region. That assumption could help to explain the isolated situation of the whole centre. The last point to be mentioned is the increased public relations work within the present project. Most important was the opening of the new permanent exhibition "30.000 Jahre Siedlungsraum Gars" as well as frequently guided tours to the current excavations.