Bleiberg mining desert
| Place: | Sachsenburg (Frankenberg, Central Saxony) |
|---|---|
| Type: | Traces of mining | Mining desertification |
| Dating: | Late Middle Ages | 1250 - 1400 AD. |
Description
The Treppenhauer hilltop near Frankenberg rises just a few kilometers northwest of Chemnitz in the foothills of the Ore Mountains. Impressive traces of the region's mining history can still be seen there today. The veins of the Freiberg ore vein area that have advanced furthest to the west are located there. In the Middle Ages, silver-bearing lead and copper ores of the barytic lead ore formation were mined at Treppenhauer and the mining town of Bleiberg (Bliberge) was founded. It only existed for around 70 to a maximum of 150 years before mining was abandoned and the settlement, robbed of its economic basis, fell into ruin. Today, the mining landscape on the Treppenhauer is one of the most outstanding examples of medieval mining in Saxony.
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckLocation and visibility
The remains of the medieval mining town on Treppenhauer and the mining industry are partly covered by dense forest and shrubbery. Another part has already been leveled by the arable use of the area in the meantime. Where this is not the case, the pits and dumps or earth cellars of the former settlement are impressively visible in the forest. However, these archaeological structures are most clearly visible in the digital terrain model (DTM).
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Elburg, Foto ©LfA 2012.
The desolation
The DTM shows not only the excavated shafts and house locations, but also a rampart with a ditch that protected the mining town of Bleiberg. A second ditch can be seen in the southwest. Originally, it was probably also present in the south-east, where today only a short extension can be seen. In the northwest, there is another excavation site in the Hengstbusch, which is also excellently preserved. Remains of a smelter in the coalfield are also associated with mining. It can also be assumed that a predecessor building of the nearby Sachsenburg Castle once served to protect the silver mines in Bleiberg.
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckImage Source S. Bilz 2024, 181.
Findings and findings
Numerous archaeological finds are known from the site of the former mining settlement, and excavation campaigns were carried out on the Treppenhauer in the 1970s and 1980s as well as in 2007 and 2011. Probably the most unusual find that came to light during these excavations is the so-called "mountain ghost from Treppenhauer". Overall, the features and objects uncovered during the excavations indicate that settlement and mining began in the second half of the 13th century. However, silver ore mining came to a standstill again between 1318 and 1390, which also meant the end of the settlement, which was deprived of its economic basis. The finds from the settlement suggest that it was abandoned around the middle of the 14th century.
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckImage Source U. Wohmann, Foto ©LfA 2013.
Literature
Stefanie Bilz, Wüste Bergstadt Bleiberg. In: Regina Smolnik/Ronny Zienert (Hrsg.), Höhenflüge. Luftbilder und Archäologie in Sachsen (Dresden 2024) 200–201.
Stefanie Bilz/Frank Schröder/Matthias Schubert/Georg Singer, Alles kommt vom Bergwerk her. Montanarchäologische Fundstellen als Herausforderung für die Inventarisation und Kulturdenkmallistenerstellung. In: Regina Smolnik (Hrsg.), Ausgrabungen in Sachsen 8. Arbeits- und Forschungsberichte zur sächsischen Bodendenkmalpflege, Beih. 36 (Dresden 2022) 313–319.
Wolfgang Schwabenicky, Der mittelalterliche Silberbergbau im Erzgebirgsvorland und im westlichen Erzgebirge unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Ausgrabungen in der wüsten Bergstadt Bleiberg bei Frankenberg (Chemnitz 2009).
Note on monument protection
Archaeological monuments are protected by the Saxon Monument Protection Act. A permit under monument law is required for ground interventions or construction measures.
Permalink
https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/bleiberg-mining-desert/
Citation
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie Reck, Bleiberg mining desert. In: Landesamt für Archäologie Sachsen, Website archaeo | SN (14.02.2024). https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/bleiberg-mining-desert/ (Stand: 09.07.2025)
