Segers-Glocke, Christiane [Hrsg.]; Niedersächsisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege [Hrsg.]; Institut für Denkmalpflege [Hrsg.]; Balck, Friedrich [Bearb.]: Arbeitshefte zur Denkmalpflege in Niedersachsen: Aspects of mining and smelting in the Upper Harz Mountains (up to the 13th/14th century) - in the early times of a developing European culture and economy (St. Katharinen: Scripta Mercaturae Verl., Heft 22.2000)

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Preliminary results
During the six years of the existence of the centre, we have been able to
extend the number of sites from the previously known 250 to more than 800
foundry and smelter relics. We have prospected not even half of the Harz in
Lower Saxony (vid. above: KLAPPAUF, Fig. 13).
The large number of finds and the large variety of information, supported by
results from digs and chemical analysis, allow us to classify types and to assign
these to particular periods and branches of production. It has been to our advan-
tage that the prospection has been carried out by a small number of persons. The
fact that the prospectors are personally acquainted with the majority of the sites
has allowed them to verify and in some instances to question the computerised
classification of sites based on their own impressions. The following examples of
site categories have now been established to such an extent that a preliminary
assignment can be made already in the field.
a. Medieval sites of the 9th-10th century -
situated on springs or the upper course of streams
The extent to which it may be possible to describe this location as typical will
have to be verified by future work. It is possible that they will also be found along
the lower courses of streams where they may have been covered by more recent
activities. They are hard to find and exhibit no anomalies. Artificial landforms are
observed only occasionally. Abraded, rounded slags serve as indicators for these
sites. Their existence can only be proven by digging into the embankment. The
corresponding slags are sinterslags. This type of slag is formed in a low tempera-
ture roast-reduction process around 700-900 °C.
Mostly vein ores from the Upper Harz would have been used in this process
to produce argentiferous lead (Werkblei) as an intermediate in the production of
silver. These sites have been dated to 800-1000 AD using the l4C-method. Cera-
mics found at only a few of these sites support these dates. Smelter sites, which
are characterised by predominantly fine slag grist, causing anomalies, may be
assigned to this temporal and technological category.
The excavation of these sites uncovers inconspicuous remains. Shallow
depressions surrounded by some Steinversturz or enclosed by a picket fence do
on a first impression not appear as relics of smelting activities. Only the analysis
of a significantly increased lead content of the burnt earth is capable of providing
a connection. A find of galena (Bleiglätte) spikes, which appear to have been
drawn with a piece of wood, documents the on-site cupellation.