Die mittelalterliche Siedlung Hollen, Ldkr. Leer

Formerly surrounded by bogs on three sides, the village of Hollen is - still today - situated off all major traffic routes on the eastern fringe of the district of Leer. Its old age was attested by a mention as “Holanla” in the Werden Urbaria and was even raised by rescue excavations in 1986-8. These revealed groundplans of Medieval farm houses and their outbuildings on some 1.2 ha of sandy soil. Several generations of local stability caused a complex pattern of building features with many overlaps. The site began with finds and features of the 1st/2nd century A.D. The Medieval settlement from A.D. 800 until before 1350 produced local pottery [grey wares, shell grit wares] and Rhenish imports [Walberg, Badorf, Pingsdorf, Paffrath wares], loom weights, iron objects, iron working, stone tools, bones, and waggon and ship components. The building features represent at least 70 buildings [28 houses, 42 granaries], wells, pits, and ditches of what is one of the largest known Medieval settlements of Northern Germany. Farmsteads consisted of 1 to 2 single-aisled houses, often with convex longitudinal walls, several small granaries and/or hay barracks, and a well, usually built of sods. Ehemals auf drei Seiten von Mooren umgeben liegt der Ort Hollen bis heute abseits großer Verkehrswege am Ostrand des Kreises Leer. Sein hohes Alter war durch die Erwähnung als “Holanla” in den Werdener Urbaren verbürgt und wurde durch Rettungsgrabungen 1986-88 sogar noch erhöht. Diese ergaben Grundrisse mittelalterlicher Bauernhäuser und ihrer Nebengebäude auf 1,2 ha Sandboden. Die Baubefunde zeigen durch die generationenlange Ortsfestigkeit ein komplexes Befundbild mit vielen Überschneidungen. Der Fundplatz beginnt mit Funden und Befunden des 1./2. Jh. n.Chr. Die mittelalterliche Siedlung von 800 bis vor 1350 ergab einheimische Keramik [Grauware, Muschelgrusware] und rheinische Importe [Walberger, Badorfer, Pingsdorfer, Paffrather Ware], Webgewichte, Eisenfunde, Eisenverarbeitung, Steingeräte, Knochen sowie Wagenteile und Bootsteile. Die Baubefunde umfassen mind. 70 Gebäude [28 Häuser, 42 Speicher], Brunnen, Gruben und Gräben einer der größten Mittelaltersiedlungen Norddeutschlands. Gehöfte bestanden aus 1-2 einschiffigen, oft gebauchten Häusern, mehreren kleinen Speichern und/oder Rutenbergen und einem Brunnen, meist in Sodenbauweise.

Formerly surrounded by bogs on three sides, the village of Hollen is - still today - situated off all major traffic routes on the eastern fringe of the district of Leer. Its old age was attested by a mention as “Holanla” in the Werden Urbaria and was even raised by rescue excavations in 1986-8. These revealed groundplans of Medieval farm houses and their outbuildings on some 1.2 ha of sandy soil. Several generations of local stability caused a complex pattern of building features with many overlaps. The site began with finds and features of the 1st/2nd century A.D. The Medieval settlement from A.D. 800 until before 1350 produced local pottery [grey wares, shell grit wares] and Rhenish imports [Walberg, Badorf, Pingsdorf, Paffrath wares], loom weights, iron objects, iron working, stone tools, bones, and waggon and ship components. The building features represent at least 70 buildings [28 houses, 42 granaries], wells, pits, and ditches of what is one of the largest known Medieval settlements of Northern Germany. Farmsteads consisted of 1 to 2 single-aisled houses, often with convex longitudinal walls, several small granaries and/or hay barracks, and a well, usually built of sods.