Secrets of the Ruhr area: Archaeologists discover old mining traces!

Secrets of the Ruhr area: Archaeologists discover old mining traces!

In the heart of the Ruhr area, more precisely in Hagen, archaeologists dig for a fascinating secret that could possibly rewrite the history of the region! The researchers of the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL) are on an exciting search for traces and examine the Kaisberg-one of the city mountains that could provide information about a much older mining history.

If you think that the Ruhr area is only an industrial region with mines and factories, you are huge! Dark coal was broken down here as early as the 13th century, but how deep the roots of mining really be enough remains a mystery. "However, how intensively this mining dealt and how the medieval and early modern operating structures were organized is still unknown," explains Manuel Zeiler from LWL archeology. The archaeologists have discovered funnel -shaped depressions and small heaps that indicate mining activities. Excavations should now clarify when exactly the coal in Hagen was dismantled.

discoveries on the Kaisberg: old shafts and new knowledge

The researchers work hand in hand with the Bochum Mining Museum and the Geopark Ruhr area. You have already identified different time phases with different degradation techniques. "We can already differentiate between different time phases with different degradation techniques," says Jennifer Garner from the mining museum. The discoveries include small shafts that have been sized deep into the seam, as well as larger shafts that indicate considerable technical effort. These finds indicate that the history of mining in NRW is much older than you have thought so far. An exciting chapter in history could develop here!