The deserted settlement Marsleben

The case of investigation of the research project is the medieval deserted settlement of Marsleben in Saxony-Anhalt in direct neighbourhood of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Quedlinburg.

Marsleben and its hinterland have been excavated to a large extend by archaeologists of the Archaeological State Unit Saxony-Anhalt in 2004 and 2005, preceding the building of the federal road B 6n. Approximately 30.000 archaeological features and about 930.000 finds have been catalogued using digital archaeological recording methods.

The scientific post-excavation research is especially necessary in face of the rescue excavation situation, i.e. a temporary stripping of the surface under enormous time pressure. Excavation on this part of the B 6n have been concluded in August 2005.

The excavated situation in its natural setting is not available for further investigations after the building procedures of the Federal road. It is impossible to reconstruct the settlement in original scale and place.

These aspects lead to a digital reconstruction of Marsleben, a task which requires an interdisciplinary research process. A communication and presentation system for both researchers and the public will be developed and tested for its realisation and optimisation.

More: The deserted settlement of Marsleben – archaeological overview (German version only)