28 August 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

An architectural gem from the medieval monastery of Posa, Germany

Archaeological excavations have been taking place on the Posaer Berg (Posa Hill) near Zeitz (Burgenland) every year since 2017. They have already provided numerous surprising insights into the history of construction and use as well as new insights into the historical significance of the medieval complex on the prominent mountain spur above the Elsteraue.

The focus of the ongoing investigations, which are being carried out by the State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archeology in Saxony-Anhalt and the newly founded “Association for the Promotion of Archeology and Historical Research in Zeitz e. V.” are carried out, is the area where the cloister of the monastery was once located. Despite the demolition of the buildings to extract stone material for the construction of the Zeitz Moritzburg and the subsequent leveling of the site in the 17th century, parts of the cloister were found here in an unexpectedly good state of preservation. A special find and a real architectural gem is a perfectly intact ornate keystone that comes from its vault.

Since 2017, with the support of the ›Kultur- und Bildungsstätte Kloster Posa e. V.‹ and committed volunteers, annual archaeological excavations take place on the Posa hill under the direction of Holger Rode. The results of investigations in recent years indicate that there was a castle of considerable importance here as early as the 9th and 10th centuries, in which the first church building was possibly built as early as the 10th century. In 1114 a Benedictine monastery was founded on the prominent mountain spur above the Elsteraue, which almost completely disappeared by the 17th century. In 2017, architectural remains revealed the location of the monastery church.

The focus of the current excavation, which has been ongoing since March 2023, is the area south of the church, where the cloister of the monastery was once located.

Overview of the south wing of the cloister with the floor from the time of construction (14th century). Photo: Philipp Baumgarten | State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
Overview of the south wing of the cloister with the floor from the time of construction (14th century). Photo: Philipp Baumgarten | State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt

The investigations are being carried out by the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt (LDA) and the newly founded ‘Association for the Promotion of Archeology and Historical Research Zeitz e.V.’.

First of all, the massive accumulation of rubble that had been leveled on the area after the demolition of the monastery from about 1657 was cleared. At that time, the monastery served as a quarry for the extraction of building material for the new construction of Moritzburg Castle in Zeitz. Large areas of the foundations of the monastery buildings were also broken down to the last stone.

Beneath this leveled layer of debris, some parts of the south wing of the enclosure were found in an unexpectedly good state of preservation.

The north facade of the cloister is still about 70 centimeters high over a length of about 10 meters. The buttresses made of ashlar masonry towards the cross courtyard are particularly impressive. There are even remains of plaster on the inside of the cloister. The floors of the southern cloister wing are still almost complete. The upper one consisted mainly of very high-quality red brick chippings, which was probably supposed to have the appearance of red marble.

Keystone of the former cloister vault with vine leaves and grapes, first half of the 14th century. Photo:: Philipp Baumgarten / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
Keystone of the former cloister vault with vine leaves and grapes, first half of the 14th century. Photo:: Philipp Baumgarten / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt

Flaws in the screed floor indicate the position of grave slabs, which were removed as valuable building material. Surprisingly, larger sandstones were also found in the up to 1.80 meter thick layers of rubble above the ruins, which had obviously been overlooked when the building material was salvaged or were perhaps simply too heavy. In addition to parts of the vaulted ribs of the cloister, some of which still have remnants of a red paint finish, a completely intact keystone of the former cloister vault represents a special find. Vine leaves and grapes are depicted on its face. They refer to the long history of local viticulture, which was successfully revived just a few years ago.

The finding of the keystone and some other stones now allows a comparatively exact dating of the southern wing of the cloister to the end of the first third of the 14th century. Comparable stones of this type are known from the cloister of the Zeitz Cathedral and the Naumburg Cathedral.

The 14th-century cloister at Posa replaced a Romanesque predecessor. The monastery church, rediscovered in 2017, also shows a modernization of the originally Romanesque building in the Gothic style during the 14th century.

A large iron key, 28 centimeters long, from the 12th or 13th century, was found on the oldest floor of the east wing of the enclosure. Photo: Saxony-Anhalt State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archeology, Philipp Baumgarten.
A large iron key, 28 centimeters long, from the 12th or 13th century, was found on the oldest floor of the east wing of the enclosure. Photo: Saxony-Anhalt State Office for the Preservation of Monuments and Archeology, Philipp Baumgarten.

Further archaeological investigations will focus on parts of the southern and eastern cloister wing and the cross courtyard. The aim is to learn more about the older church, believed to be beneath the Gothic and Romanesque walls and floors. The first traces of this presumed early sacred building have been uncovered in recent years. It was probably built in the 10th century and burned down at the end of the 11th century. Findings from the 9th century are also of great scientific interest. They are the oldest evidence of a settlement on Posa Hill and are closely related to the large ramparts that enclose the entire mountain.

The research excavation in Posa will continue throughout the year.

Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt

Cover Photo: Philipp Baumgarten

Related Articles

Archaeologists unearth the remains of three dozen headless people at a stone age settlement in Vráble, Slovakia

25 September 2022

25 September 2022

Archaeologists have unearthed a mass grave containing the remains of about three dozen headless bodies of people at a settlement...

In Germany, volunteers unearthed the largest hoard of Slavic coins to date and bronze-age seven swords

29 November 2023

29 November 2023

Volunteer archaeologists found bronze age seven swords and from the 11th century 6000 silver coins in the northeastern German state...

Egypt’s Tanis bronze figurines shed light on ancient commerce

19 July 2021

19 July 2021

A research team told that the newly discovered 3,000-year-old bronze figurines recently unearthed in Tanis, Egypt, can answer questions about...

Roman-era structures unearthed in northwestern Turkiye dam site rescue excavations

18 May 2024

18 May 2024

Rescue excavations at the Reşitköy Dam site in the northwestern Turkiye province of Balıkesir have unearthed Roman structures, including a...

Experts believe the 7,000-year-old circular stone structures were once houses, complete with doorways and roofs in Saudi Arabia

16 July 2024

16 July 2024

Archaeologists have excavated eight ancient “standing stone circles” in Saudi Arabia that they say were used as houses. Eight of...

Saudi shipwreck excavation reveals hundreds of 18th-century artifacts on sunken ship in the north Red Sea

25 February 2022

25 February 2022

Divers from Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Authority have discovered a shipwreck in the Red Sea from the 18th century filled with...

Ancient Roman Road with Porticoes and Rare Artifacts Discovered in Switzerland

6 May 2025

6 May 2025

A major rescue excavation in Kaiseraugst, northern Switzerland, has revealed a substantial Roman road complete with porticoes, alongside poignant infant...

Volunteer archaeologists discovered a 1900-year-old silver military decoration in Vindolanda

17 June 2023

17 June 2023

Volunteer archaeologists have discovered a 1900-year-old military decoration (Phalera) that was awarded to distinguished soldiers and troops in the Roman...

Archaeologists may have discovered lost settlement of Apancalecan in Mexico

3 August 2023

3 August 2023

Archaeologists from the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH) in Guerrero discovered a prehistoric settlement spread across 29 hectares...

“Cardiff’s earliest house” unearthed during an archaeological dig may shed light on the city’s earliest inhabitants

15 July 2022

15 July 2022

Archaeological excavation in a city park in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, has uncovered what is believed to be the...

USF team discovers 2,000-year-old Roman house during excavation in Malta

8 August 2023

8 August 2023

A team of researchers and students unearthed a 2,000-year-old Roman house in Malta, complete with a waste disposal system and...

Two Durham Archaeology Students, One from Türkiye, Earn Prestigious Awards for Research on Ancient Lycia

26 July 2025

26 July 2025

In a remarkable achievement for Anatolian studies, two Durham University-affiliated archaeology students have received prestigious awards for their research on...

Huge funerary building and Fayoum portraits discovered in Egypt Fayoum

4 December 2022

4 December 2022

The Egyptian archaeological mission working in the Gerza archaeological site in Fayoum revealed a huge funerary building from the Ptolemaic...

Ancient Egyptian silos and administrative buildings uncovered at Kom Ombo in Egypt’s Aswan

6 March 2022

6 March 2022

The Egyptian-Austrian archaeological mission working in the Temple of Kom Ombo in Egypt’s southern province of Aswan unearthed an administrative...

The Celts’ Astronomical Secrets: The Chão de Lamas Lunula and the Coligny Calendar Connection

2 March 2025

2 March 2025

A groundbreaking study published in the journal Palaeohispanica has shed light on the ancient timekeeping practices of the Celts, centering...