Natural Sciences

Keyword: »Interdisciplinary research«

During his excavations an archaeologist soon reaches the point where he is confronted with neighbouring sciences. Especially in Kalkriese the interdisciplinary co-operation between colleagues from different scientific disciplines makes a lot of sense. 

Due to the sod cutting over a period of several hundred years the ground is in a specific condition. As early as in the 14th century farmers cut sods and used them as litter in the stables. Afterwards the sods were mixed with dung and were spread out onto the meagre fields. That way, a layer of earth of about one metre has accumulated over the years under which the historic surface was preserved.  
 
Paedologists from the University of Oldenburg have researched the particularities of the terrain as it was 2000 years ago. They were able to reconstruct a relief of the terrain in Oberesch as it appeared at the time of Augustus by examinations of the ground and drilling. The surface was much more uneven and irregular. 

Archaeozoologists of the University of Tübingen have examined the bones of the mules and found out surprising information. By analysing the formation of the teeth and the composition of the dental enamel they were able to prove that the mule which died in Kalkriese must have grazed in the Mediterranean during the previous summer. This shows that the supply of the Romans stationed in the north obviously was better and faster than presumed. Also, the condition of the bones indicates that they must have been laying on the surface for a couple of years before they were covered with earth.  These circumstances accord with the belligerent events in 9 AD and the burial of the fallen soldiers in 16 AD by Germanicus and his legions. In the course of the precipitant burial – again threatened by Germanic warriors – the Roman soldiers collected all apparent bones and laid them into trenches. 

The human bones found in these trenches have been examined by anthropologists of the University of Göttingen. As was expected, most of the bones are from young men who were well nourished and healthy. There were also signs indicating at least one woman who might have been part of the impedimenta of the Roman legions. Some of the skeletons show injuries which had not healed. They probably occurred during the battle and sometimes they had immediately caused the death of the struck person. 

Further interdisciplinary research is planned for the future.