Although the flood was well documented, Rungholt and the First Great Mandrenke, as the disaster was called, were seen as a myth à la Atlantis for years.
But in 1921, due to changes in the tides, the remains of the city suddenly became visible. And now German archaeologists have begun to investigate the drowned medieval city.
Technology sees through mud banks
The research is being carried out by archaeologists from the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, among others, using gradiometry, in which magnetic fluctuations are measured underground, and seismic, in which the soil is searched with sound waves.
For example, it is possible to search deep into the bottom of the Wadden Sea, where there is a thick layer of mud. And the Germans have found quite a bit, such as a drainage installation, a dike and two small churches.
But the most impressive find is the large church of Rungholt, measuring 40 by 15 metres. It is the largest structure in the surveyed area measuring approximately 10 km2.
However, the researchers have to keep working, because the medieval city under the mud is quickly eroding.
‘That is also clearly visible around the church, so we urgently need to intensify the research here,’ says Hanna Hadler of the Johannes Gutenberg University.
2023-06-07 06:53:19
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