die Röhre geschaut

Recovery and Examination of the Mid-Neolithic Well of Salzfurtkapelle Archaeological documentation of well structures is a challenging task, it offers a high potential of information due to their extraordinary preservation conditions. Even for relatively small complexes, the recovery of a well has to be carefully planned, with special regard to the technical aspects. These provide the basis for an appropriate investigation under lab conditions. In the following, a prehistoric well from Saxony-Anhalt is presented. It was discovered in 2004 in an archaeological excavation of the Cultural Heritage Department of Saxony-Anhalt. The introduction describes the site, with an emphasis on its geological characteristics and the necessary systematic approach based thereupon. Further excavation methods are explained and some thoughts on the balance between documentation and conservation are offered. Finally, the currently possible interpretation is summarized. The analysis showed that the well was located on the outskirts of a fortified settlement of the Baalberge group. It was built by driving a hollowed-out oak log into a water-bearing stratum. An additional timber plank fixed a flaw in the well shaft. The filling of the well contained the remains of nine ceramic vessels that have been deposited during two separate time spans. Most of the vessels were highly fragmented, but they seem to have found their way into the well as complete pots. Scientific analysis and archaeological evaluation are not finished yet.