History buff uncovers lost medieval monastery thanks to strange map symbol

6 days ago 31

A past buff with a metallic detector precocious led archaeologists to the tract of a medieval monastery – each acknowledgment to a unusual awesome spotted connected an aged map.

Arkeologerna, an archaeological enactment affiliated with the Swedish government, announced the find this month. The remains of the monastery were found successful a tract successful Derome, successful southwest Sweden.

In a connection translated from Swedish to English, Arkeologerna credited hobbyist Göran Bengtsson with pinpointing the site.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS MAKE GRIM DISCOVERY AFTER FINDING ANCIENT ROMAN BUILDINGS

While studying 18th-century maps, Bengtsson noticed a unusual rectangle — and brought himself to the site. A surveyor marked the determination arsenic "Klosterkullen," oregon "monastery hill," connected a 1760 map.

After an alert from Bengtsson, archaeologists headed retired to the determination to usage ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to scope retired the site. GPR tin amusement things hidden successful the crushed — and it revealed the walls of "probable" monastery ruins.

Split representation  of symbol, Archaeologist moving   successful  field

A past enthusiast's representation survey led to the find of a apt medieval monastery successful Sweden, according to section officials. (Arkeologerna)

Archaeologist Bengt Westergaard said the find came arsenic a full astonishment to him.

"I person worked arsenic an archaeologist for 40 years, and this is something unique," Westergaard said.

He added, "I person ne'er seen thing similar it; the walls were precise intelligibly visible."

"I person ne'er seen thing similar it."

The upwind conditions helped archaeologists, too. Bengtsson recovered traces of the monastery connected a adust summertime day.

"When the crushed is dry, thing called harvest marks tin form, and these walls are precise disposable supra ground," helium explained. 

Black and achromatic  symbol

Bengtsson noticed a perplexing awesome portion helium was studying 18th-century maps. (Arkeologerna)

"When utilizing ground-penetrating radar, immoderate structures beneath crushed look arsenic acheronian spots, and present determination was a important anomaly."

Archaeologists uncovered walls which are astir 6.5 feet thick, arsenic good arsenic different facets of the building. 

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Experts judge the walls were remains of pillar foundations.

"It is the eastbound helping and dormitory we see," Arkeologerna's connection added. "It is not definite that much was built; they whitethorn person started building the church and past stopped."

Swedish archaeologist astatine  site

The ruins are astir surely impervious of a medieval monastery, experts said, but much probe volition beryllium conducted. (Arkeologerna)

"We won't cognize until we analyse the tract further."

Dating backmost to the precocious 1100s, the monastery mightiness beryllium the archetypal tract of Ås Abbey, a ample monastery managed by the Cistercian spiritual order.

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"Ås … was aboriginal moved successful the 13th century," the connection continued. "In a missive from a gathering successful 1243, the then-abbot applied to determination Ås monastery."

Sweden, a Nordic state affluent successful history, has been location to respective historical discoveries successful the past year. 

Archaeologist moving   successful  field

The Swedish tract whitethorn beryllium the archetypal tract of Ås Abbey earlier its 13th period relocation, according to experts. (Arkeologerna)

Last spring, archaeologists uncovered a 12th period grave during a excavation – and recovered buried treasure on with it.

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This year, Arkeologerna announced the find of an "unusual" Viking-era coffin dating backmost implicit 1,100 years. 

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