4. Internationales Arbeitstreffen zur Montanarchäologie

German version

„Recognition, Investigation and Preservation“

Relics of ancient mining activities are part of our European cultural landscape. Since humans learned to apply tools the extraction of stone, ores and mineral resources left its traces in the terrain. Many detailed questions about early mining techniques, the processing of extracted raw materials and also about the meaning of the mining and quarry industries for the social-economic structure and the development of settlements remain unanswered. Regarding these questions, archaeological methods could provide us with new resolution.

The traces of ancient mining activities are threatened in many European regions, because they often are not recognized as such and accordingly not treated as heritage sites. Mining archaeological research can contribute actively to the protection of historically valuable sites by means of publication and public works in order to establish a more general consciousness regarding these sites.

The „Arbeitsgemeinschaft Altbergbau Odenwald“ and the „Institute Europa Subterranea“ would like to invite you to attend the 4th International Symposium on archaeological Mining History from the 29 th of May until the 1 st of June 2009 at Rohrbach near Reichelsheim in Odenwald, Germany. The motto of this years symposium is „Recognition, Investigation and Preservation“, which contains, next to the historical research and project presentations, trading and discussing new research methods for surface- and underground fieldwork, but also the presentation and development of new strategies in public affairs and geo-tourism and their role in the protection and preservation of mining heritage. The symposium will take place at hotel „Zum Lärmfeuer“ in Rohrbach, a village near Reichelsheim. Rohrbach and the hotel are situated in the heart of the medieval iron ore region Odenwald. During the excursion program the main mining regions of the Odenwald will be visited; both the iron ore region of the middle Odenwald and the silver- and copper mines along the so called “Bergstraße”.

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