FREILICHTLABOR LAURESHAM
Laboratory for Experimental Archaeology
The Lauresham Laboratory for Experimental Archaeology is located at the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site Lorsch Monastery, which was redesigned and greatly expanded in 2014. A walk-through 1:1 model covering an area of 4.1 hectares explains the complex topic of landlordship, which is so important for understanding the structure of early medieval society. This is done using the example of a typical manorial site of the 8th/9th century. In addition, Lauresham has created a forum for experimental archaeological research to test various craft and agricultural working techniques.
Based on the latest research findings in settlement archaeology, a team of experienced craftsmen erected an ensemble of buildings under scientific supervision, including the Archaeological Institute of the University of Hamburg. This includes residential, farm, stable and granary buildings, as well as a chapel. In addition, there are various agricultural areas – meadows, fields and gardens – and the keeping of farm animals, whose appearance is intended to approximate that of their medieval counterparts.
