Zentrale Dienste

The second and third season of excavations at the Kirchenburg at Ankum yielded a number of medieval finds and features. Among others there are an early medieval system of ditches, Carolingian pit houses in which metal-processing was pursued as well as post positions of buildings of Ottonian and later periods.

The excavations in the years of 2011–2013 to the north of the Bissendorf town hall provided finds and features, proving the continuous settlement of the old center since the 8th/9th century AD. One of the features is a manor with stone foundations, dating to the 11th century, which was destroyed by a fire. Since the turn of the early to high Middle Ages, i.e. from the 10th to the 11th century, is connected to a societal change, the manor will be considered by that background. For we have only few historical records regarding the 11th century in the Osnabrücker Land and first written accounts for Bissendorf exist only for the second half of the 12th century, the interpretation of the findings of Bissendorf is therefore only possible on the basis of the archaeological features and their contexts. The finds from the fire debris of the house and its surroundings reflect the material culture of the rural nobility of the Salian period. The results of the excavation, the study of the infrastructure in close proximity to the finds, together with the findings like the manor, imported pottery, precious or exotic jewelry and status symbols like horse, spur and weaponry reflect the situation of the nobility in the rural Osnabrück area.

During an excavation on the Rotenbreite near Borgentreich, Kr. Höxter, it was possible to document and analyze a disposal pit of a military unit. The findings show that a British unit camped at this hill for a short time. Primary the inventory of findings consists of ca. 340 tins and in addition of a spoon and a plate belonging to the war department plus e. g. german and scandinavian beer- and colabottles. By means of the findings it is possible to date the feature into the 60s/70s of the 20.th century with a terminus post quem of 1968. Because the British barrack in Borgentreich was abandoned at this time, there has to be another explanation for the presence of British troops. Presumably the soldiers participated in the manoeuvre "Marsh Mallow" in 1969.
In this manoeuvre 10 000 soldiers from different nations trained under a British command in the regions Niedersachsen and Nordrhein-Westfalen.
After abandoning the camp, the waste was partial burnt and afterwards buried.
The pit delivers insight into the military course of life of British soldiers who were garrisoned in Germany (British Army of the Rhine/Rhine Garrison). Besides it shows how the British troops were supplied and how they complemented their rations with foreign, e. g. german and scandinavian, products.