Mining settlement Fürstenberg
| Place: | Hartmannsdorf (Hartmannsdorf b. Kirchberg, Zwickau) |
|---|---|
| Type: | Fortified site | Traces of mining |
| Dating: | High Middle Ages | Late Middle Ages | Modern Times | 1250 - 1350 AD. |
Description
In the Hohe Forst near Hartmannsdorf there are the remains of a deserted village. It was first associated with mining in the 1960s by archaeologists Werner Coblenz and Heinz Thuß. In 1989, the Saxon mining archaeologist Wolfgang Schwabenicky carried out several small investigations in the Hohe Forst. The suspicion hardened that the settlement was the mining town of Fürstenberg, first mentioned in the sources in 1316. As early as the middle of the 14th century. However, it was abandoned again at the end of the 19th century. The exact reasons for this are unclear. Today, the mining settlement of Fürstenberg is one of the best-preserved mining landscapes in the Ore Mountains, which in 2019 became part of the "Montanregion Erzgebirge/Krušnohři“ was even declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckThe mountain town
The former mountain town is now located in the middle of a coniferous forest. Archaeological finds on site suggest that the town was founded as early as the mid-13th century, while the first written mention of the town only dates back to 1316. Historical sources mention a church, various stalls, a scrap office and even bathing establishments in Fürstenberg. However, the sources are silent on the date or reason for the abandonment of the settlement. The archaeological finds break off in the middle of the 14th century.
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckImage Source K. Clappenberg, Foto ©LfA 2019.
Archaeological traces
The historical record is now supplemented by information from the digital terrain model (DTM). This shows an approximately 1 km-long pinge that runs from the northeast to the southwest and follows a lead vein. The line of pillars intersects a rectangular moat measuring 100 m x 95 m. Houses with earth cellars were excavated within the enclosure during a later excavation by Schwabenicky in the 2000s. Further buildings were identified to the south-east of the fortification in the area of the ore extraction sites. Smelting slags from the slope area prove that the copper ore was processed directly on site. To the north-east, Fürstenberg and its valuable ores were secured by a tower hill fort. It was built on a hill in front of the settlement and was surrounded by a rampart with a moat. The complex has a diameter of 60 meters.
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie ReckImage Source S. Bilz 2024, 99, Ausschnitt.
Literature
Stefanie Bilz, Bergbausiedlung Fürstenberg. In: Regina Smolnik/Ronny Zienert (Hrsg.), Höhenflüge. Luftbilder und Archäologie in Sachsen (Dresden 2024) 158–159.
Christiane Hemker/Stefanie Bilz, Hinterm Ofen ist auch dem Bergmann wohl. Seltene Ofenkachelfunde aus der Bergbausiedlung Fürstenberg im Hohen Forst. In: Regina Smolnik (Hrsg.), Ausgrabungen in Sachsen 7. Arbeits- und Forschungsberichte zur sächsischen Bodendenkmalpflege, Beih. 34 (Dresden 2020) 275–282.
Wolfgang Schwabenicky, Der mittelalterliche Silberbergbau im Erzgebirgsvorland und im westlichen Erzgebirge unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der Ausgrabung 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/mining-settlement-furstenberg/
Citation
Stefanie Bilz/Annemarie Reck, Mining settlement Fürstenberg. In: Landesamt für Archäologie Sachsen, Website archaeo | SN (13.02.2024). https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/mining-settlement-furstenberg/ (Stand: 09.07.2025)
