Sensational find: Oldest bars Mecklenburg discovered in Kirch Mummendorf!

Sensational find: Oldest bars Mecklenburg discovered in Kirch Mummendorf!

in Kirch Mummendorf, located in the district of Northwest Mecklenburg, a remarkable archaeological find was made. Three oak beams were discovered during preliminary examinations for the renovation of the church there, the felling data of which declined to the 11th century. To be more precise, the bars come from 1026, 1059 and 1068. This makes them the elders in a building in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, which have so far been demonstrated. The previous record holder was in the Evangelical City Church in Gadebusch and was only from 1170.

The importance of this find should not be underestimated, since the bars not only document construction aspects of the early Gothic, but are also testimonies of a moving history of its region. The building historian Ralf Gesatzky, who headed the investigations, explains that in contrast to Gadebusch, where the oldest bar is still in its original square, the beams of the Kirch Mummendorf come from old predecessors and found a new use in the later brick church.

Beams are said to come from previous buildings

The beams from the 11th century are closely linked to the early attempts to mission of western Slavic tribes. These events are recorded in chronicles that report on the Christianization of the area. The successful and failed attempts to contest the tribes with the Roman-German Empire are exciting because they reflect the social and cultural upheavals of time. The oldest bar of 1026 occupies the missionary efforts of the then Archbishop of Membership of Bremen, which was in office from 1013 to 1029.

The discovery of the beams is the result of careful building examinations in which samples from the roof structure of the church have been removed. These samples were then examined at the German Archaeological Institute of Karl-Uwe Heussner by means of dendrochronology, a method that is based on the analysis of the annual rings of the wood. This technology enables exactly to determine when the tree was felled and consequently also when the wood was installed. These precise measurements are around 3000 BC. BC traceable and give the researchers valuable insights into the building traditions of past centuries.

The small and very old church is to be kissed awake

The find comes at the right time, since the church in Kirch Mummendorf, led by Franziska Czygan and Chris Böhler, strives to renovate and revitalize this listed sacred building. The support group, which has been active since 2022, already has 53 members who are working with a lot of zeal to "kiss the old church again." Despite the limited parishioners, the goal is clear: the church should become a cultural center for the surrounding villages.

The efforts to restore the church draw a positive picture of cultural commitment in the region. The relevance of the church extends beyond religious aspects and also includes a central role in the social and cultural life of the residents.