Glossary

Burnt clay

Under the influence of fire water withdraws from the clay, resulting in a hardened reddish layer of burnt clay.

Geomagnetic measuring

The geomagnetic measuring can visualise discrepancies in the natural magnetic field, which were done by humans, with special equipment and the use of computers. The pictures that are received resemble x-ray images, resulting in an archaeological map. However, they do not contain any information about the dating of the mapped objects. Regular excavations must be carried out to answer questions about the dating and the function of the discovered objects. A combination of both methods produces optimal results for archaeological research, which is why the geomagnetic method is worth its financial and organizational complexity prior to the excavation.

Pit house

In contrast to houses on the surface, mostly built with posts or foundation beam, pit houses are square pits deepened into the ground and covered by a roof on the surface. They mainly served as working houses.

Pürckhauer-Bohrstab

The so called „Pürckhauer-Bohrstab“ or shortly "Pürckhauer" is a hollow geological borer of 1m length with a diameter of ca. 3 cm. It can be knocked into the ground with a huge hammer. After pulling out the borer the so extracted soil sample can be examined for human influence.

Ustrina

An ustrina is the place where the deceased are cremated.


[top]