Archaeologists excavating the grounds around Germany’s Naumburg Cathedral have uncovered a small medieval cemetery whose richly furnished graves suggest it may have served members of the social elite.
The discovery was made during archaeological investigations linked to the redevelopment of Cathedral Square, where researchers have been carrying out extensive excavations since the spring.
The cemetery lies between the remains of the 11th-century cathedral and St Nicholas Chapel. So far, archaeologists have identified 13 graves, with almost all containing high-quality grave goods, an indication that those buried there held elevated status.
The finds are shedding new light on the early history of Naumburg Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the people associated with one of medieval Germany’s most important ecclesiastical centres.
Although major excavations carried out in the 1960s established much of the cathedral’s construction history, the surrounding area had remained largely unexplored until the current project.
Naumburg became the seat of the bishopric after it was transferred from Zeitz in the early 11th century. The first cathedral was built in the decades that followed and is thought to have been largely completed by the 1040s.
Unlike many medieval cathedrals, the bishop’s church was constructed within the outer bailey of the “new castle” established by the powerful Ekkehardin margraves, reflecting the close ties between secular and ecclesiastical authority during the period.
After about 1210, the original cathedral was gradually replaced by the larger late Romanesque building that stands today. Part of the earlier structure survived, with its crypt incorporated into the new cathedral.
The excavation has also focused on the area south of the east choir of the cathedral where the 11th century St Nicholas Chapel formerly stood. In the 15th century the chapel was enclosed by the Chapel of the Three Kings, one of the cathedral complex’s best-preserved historic buildings.
Researchers say the newly discovered cemetery provides a rare opportunity to investigate burial practices of the cathedral’s earliest decades. Further analysis of the graves and their contents will reveal more about the identity, status and lives of those buried at the site.
The archaeological investigations will continue as work progresses on the redesign of Cathedral Square.
Sources : LDA
