Discovery of a unique roof tile find in Borgholzhausen

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The discovery of ancient roof tiles in the Evangelical Church of Borgholzhausen throws a new light on the building history and architectural techniques of the Middle Ages. The most recent find happened during the roof renovation in the summer of 2023 and focuses on a historical roof type that was forgotten for many decades.

meaning of the find for construction and monument conservation

The unique discovery of the roof tiles that are dated to the 14th century has far-reaching consequences for construction and monument preservation. Building organ Peter Barthold from the Landschaftsverband Westfalen-Lippe (LWL) is speechless about the density and quality of the find, in which 20 buckets were recovered with historical bricks. These bricks are part of the so-called monk snare cover, a special technology in which different types of bricks are placed on top of each other.

finds and their history of origin

The bricks and other artifacts were discovered in a rubble funnel in which waste from the craftsmen has been left behind for centuries. In addition to the roof tiles, the researchers also found remains of mortar and rare metal parts, which provide information about the building practices at that time. This discovery had just escaped the disposal, since the shade layer was about to get into a container.

scientific value and historical classification

The age of the roof tiles can only be determined inaccurately, but the wood structure of the roof dates from around 1336. This underlines the importance of the church, which was already architecturally outstanding in the Middle Ages. This construction was not only widespread in churches, but shaped the appearance of many cities in Westphalia.

comparable finds and their relevance

Special features of the find are the so -called "noses" of the deck brackets that prevent slipping. Such combinations of roof tiles are only known in Germany from Uelzen, while similar buildings were examined in Denmark. So far, the monk-nonne cover has only been proven by historical image sources, which makes this find all the more important.

future prospects and research opportunities

Further research on these roof tiles is carried out with the participation of archeologists, monument conservationists and architects. It remains exciting to explore why this distinctive technology has been replaced by the simpler slate cover. The effort may have been too high or the functionality turned out to be impractical.

The find in Borgholzhausen not only marks a significant step in researching the building history, but could also help expand the knowledge of the construction practices of the Middle Ages. This discovery is a valuable piece of the puzzle in the understanding of medieval architecture and its evolutionary development in Germany.

- Nag