NetConnect

Research for reconstruction

Feature of the site

The sub-scenarios of environment and hill fort can manly take place in summer time. We can explain agricultural features much better when crops are grown and trees are in leaves. It should be possible to change between night and day/dawn. The weather (sunny/cloudy) – might be taken from actual weather data on site – in order to make the scenario more vivid. The model of the Celtic Calendar needs the years cycle in order to explain how the calendar works and how sun and moon rises and dawns can be explored via the stellarium. The landscape model shows the development of vegetation and the influence of man on his natural surroundings. Here we intend to show a time span of about 500 years. If possible we intend to involve the merchant from the south into our scenario in order to guide people through the scenario. A druid – bearing features of the sandstone statue found in one of the ditches – can explain the calendar.



















Main monuments/buildings/structures (an interior or only an exterior modeling, section detail, orthographic layouts and plansMain monuments/buildings/structures (an interior or only an exterior modeling, section detail, orthographic layouts and plans)

Environment plays an important role for early societies. For this reason an emphasis in our scenario needs to be laid in exterior environmental patterns and structures.

Environmental patterns

The grave impact of man in his environment is the theme of the third environmental demonstration. We follow the trace of man in the area around the Glauberg over about 500 years from the early Iron Age to the 4. Century B.C. The scenario has got a depth of time and shows developments and dynamics of landscape and environmental changes from late Bronze Age culture (800 B.C.) to the 4th Century B.C. The mapping of the detected settlements and find spots will be provided by GIS-mappings. An extensive deforestation after a long period of predominant forests and the invention of grasslands for stockbreeding and of acres for cop cultivation as well as the occupation and exploitation of land by farming and farmsteads, craftsmen and housing. A detailed and accurate modelling of the landscape is not necessary. Schematic trees, symbolising the characteristics of the species will be sufficient. Settlements, farmsteads and burials shall be symbolised by types. Further information will be provided by mouse click or move over.

Architectonic and urban features

The grave-mounds and the ditches are to be reconstructed. The burial in the main grave-mound will hopefully be represented by an already existing simulation. This was developed by IGD for an exhibition in 2002. This model has to be supplemented by some new features, detected in last years research. The ditches of the calendarium and the other features like grave-mounds, posts and buildings have to be entered into a model allowing users to get an idea of Celtic Calendar and their division of time over different periods. It will be of enormous use to include the horizon silhouette into the model, for slopes and hill tops are necessary to make certain bearings. The winter solstice (Azimute 128.5-129°) can be observed as well as the sun rise at “Samhain” and “Imbolc” (cross quarter day I and II, Azimute 114,2, see also ID 382). Several other observations can be accomplished as well.



Every 18,6 years in average a special event takes place at the site: the great southern moon standstill can periodically be observed, manifested in the procession road. This broad way is flanked by two enormous ditches (which might have provided the “real features” instead of the “road” itself) of 1,8 m depth and a width of about 2,4 m on the top and about 1,6 m on the bottom of each ditch.



Urban features on the hill-top Fortification walls have fenced the whole plateau, the walls where set right on the edges of the plateau, so that potential aggressors had no platform from which to agitate, but had to fight from the steep slopes. At the smaller north-eastern and south-western parts of the plateau the slopes where more flat. So the fronts of the walls started already in the slopes. This construction saved material, because the inner back-sides of the wall didn’t need the same height as the fronts.



Entrance situations can be found in the south-east and the north-west of the plateau. The north-western “Stockheimer Pforte” follows the entrance into the wall that still can be used today. The south-eastern “Enzheimer Pforte” leading into the direction of the graves and calendarium has vanished on its original place and can only be presumed by certain hints detected when excavating the remains of the Iron Age walls (see plan ID for location of the two entrances).



None of the two portals has been excavated so far. But as there are no hints in the appearance of the wall, we intend to reconstruct simple portal situation as can be seen by prehistoric Dommelsberg (above). It shows massive posts at both sides of the entrance, saving the walls from breaking into the entrance. These post have to be reconstructed to a height of the wall (of about 2,6 m). Two door-wings can be opened for trespassing wagons and foot passengers. Above the ceiling of the entrance the round-walk on the top of the wall has to be continued as well as the breast protection. Both gateways are to be reconstructed in the same way. Annex and its fortification The reconstruction of the Annex-walls follows the construction of the plateau-fortification. In some areas the walls are supported by upstream ditches, which also served as a resource for building material. The already mentioned water basin might have served as a reservoir.



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