2023-06-08 18:11:10
The remains of a settlement covered by seawater in the 14th century were discovered on the northern coast of Germany.
German researchers believe they have found the Atlantis of Northern Europe, the medieval city of Rungholt, which sank to the bottom of the sea in the second half of the 14th century. Using various geophysical and archaeological techniques, the specialists were able to identify the settlement and, most importantly, the settlement’s church.
Rungholt, legend or history?
The settlement of Rungholt is surrounded by many mysterious stories in which reality and legend are mixed. In the past, some even doubted that it existed at all. Legend has it that Rungholt went under water one night (between January 15 and 16, 1362 to be exact) due to a terrible storm. According to the locals, this was a divine punishment that washed away the city’s sinners and their sins. Many believe that the sound of the church bells can still be heard in the depths of the sea.
We find references to Rungholt in some ancient documents until the Middle Ages, but even today’s maps are so imprecise that it has not been possible to completely define its location. Since the 20th century, however, some remnants have begun to surface: the remains of dams, ditches and locks near present-day Südfall Island have shown researchers where to look.
The great discovery
After several years of research, the Rungholt and Wadden Sea projects financed by the German Research Foundation have brought results. The area of more than 10 square kilometers was examined using special technology, and then in May 2023, they continued to drill near Südfall Island, until each building of the settlement was found. The researchers claimed to have found the foundations of a 40×15 meter temple deep in the sea, which may have been the center of a large settlement and was one of the most important historical sites of the medieval Edomsharde administrative district. The researchers also discovered a harbor and a series of drainage systems.
A special metal frame helps the works with a so-called in a pressure cooker. The finds are excavated and documented at low tide. So it seems they have found the lost city, Atlantis of the North. However, researchers are fighting once morest time. “The remains of the medieval settlement have already been heavily eroded” – warns Hanna Hadlera colleague of the University of Mainz. “This is especially true in the vicinity of the church, so we urgently need to speed up the research.”
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