DOI article:
Linke, Friedrich-Albert: Archaeological survey of monuments of early mining and smelting in the Harz Mountains
DOI Page / Citation link:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.56859#0061
37
another invaluable source of information8. These analyses were carried out by
state departments and industry to explore new ore deposits in the Harz. For this
purpose small samples were taken from streams and even springs and analysed
among others for lead, copper and zinc. This information allows us to map heavy
metal anomalies during the preparatory stages, which may be used as pointers to
possible smelter sites or to verify the results of a prospection (Fig. 5). The
absence of contaminated sediments does however not release the prospectors
from their task because for example the presence of iron smelters can not be
discerned with these analyses.
Drill cores taken from the sediments at the lower end of a valley are indicative
of the processes in the associated watershed. It may be possible to establish
temporal assignments of mining and smelting activities if the anomalies found in
the drill cores can be correlated with slags, organic residues and pollen.
Following a period of bad weather samples were taken from flood sediments in
the Lower Saxon part of the Harz foreland9 10. The analyses of these samples show
clear biases of the heavy metal anomalies for the various watersheds (LlNDORFER
1997)’°, providing additional pointers.
All indicators gathered during the preliminary work are entered into the
working maps for the area under investigation.
b. Prospection
The sites that have been identified during the preparation phase are visited at
the outset of the fieldwork in a new area. They are brought up to date using
current methods. This initial inspection of a site serves as an ideal tool for the
familiarisation with the particularities of a new prospecting area.
New sites are generally located by a team of two assistants who follow the
rivers and streams from the point where they leave the mountains up to their
source. The riverbed forms the path and its banks of sediments indicate potential
finds of displaced slags. Late autumn and early spring are the best times for
8 The sediment analyses were kindly made available by the Preussag AG and the
National Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (Bundesanstalt fur
Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe).
9 The samples were taken by Dr. Stephan Cramer, temporary assistant at the Center for
Mining Archaeology in Goslar.
10 Cf. also in this volume: M. Deicke, Findings concerning the environmental History
of the Harz Mountains and the Utilisation of Mineral Resources, Fig. 10.
another invaluable source of information8. These analyses were carried out by
state departments and industry to explore new ore deposits in the Harz. For this
purpose small samples were taken from streams and even springs and analysed
among others for lead, copper and zinc. This information allows us to map heavy
metal anomalies during the preparatory stages, which may be used as pointers to
possible smelter sites or to verify the results of a prospection (Fig. 5). The
absence of contaminated sediments does however not release the prospectors
from their task because for example the presence of iron smelters can not be
discerned with these analyses.
Drill cores taken from the sediments at the lower end of a valley are indicative
of the processes in the associated watershed. It may be possible to establish
temporal assignments of mining and smelting activities if the anomalies found in
the drill cores can be correlated with slags, organic residues and pollen.
Following a period of bad weather samples were taken from flood sediments in
the Lower Saxon part of the Harz foreland9 10. The analyses of these samples show
clear biases of the heavy metal anomalies for the various watersheds (LlNDORFER
1997)’°, providing additional pointers.
All indicators gathered during the preliminary work are entered into the
working maps for the area under investigation.
b. Prospection
The sites that have been identified during the preparation phase are visited at
the outset of the fieldwork in a new area. They are brought up to date using
current methods. This initial inspection of a site serves as an ideal tool for the
familiarisation with the particularities of a new prospecting area.
New sites are generally located by a team of two assistants who follow the
rivers and streams from the point where they leave the mountains up to their
source. The riverbed forms the path and its banks of sediments indicate potential
finds of displaced slags. Late autumn and early spring are the best times for
8 The sediment analyses were kindly made available by the Preussag AG and the
National Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (Bundesanstalt fur
Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe).
9 The samples were taken by Dr. Stephan Cramer, temporary assistant at the Center for
Mining Archaeology in Goslar.
10 Cf. also in this volume: M. Deicke, Findings concerning the environmental History
of the Harz Mountains and the Utilisation of Mineral Resources, Fig. 10.