Archaeologists have come across a thick filling layer on the former monastery site of Posa near Zeitz (Burgenland district). “Pottery shards from the 9th/10th century came to light, well before the monastery was founded,” said archaeologist Holger Rode of the German Press Agency. “This is pottery, often decorated with a wave pattern.” The shards belonged to the crockery of the time, mainly pots and bowls. “A so-called workshop was uncovered from the time of the monastery in the 12th century,” said the archaeologist. “It was an area for processing the sandstones. Traces of the activity were found in the chippings of the stone material, which formed a thick layer of up to 15 centimeters.” In the middle of the probably covered square there was probably also a stove for preparing food.
So far this year, an area of around 70 square meters has been excavated. For archaeologists, the finds and findings paint an absolutely coherent picture. The remains of a church that existed before the monastery was built were discovered last year. How old this church is still needs to be clarified, but it was built before 1114, the year when the Benedictine monks came to Posa. In further excavations, the complete extent of the church is to be explored.
The Benedictine monastery Posa was built in 1114, in 1573 it was dissolved as a result of the Reformation. Only the guest house used by the monks is a reminder of the time of the monastery. The church was demolished and the stones used in 1657 as building material for Zeitz Castle. Since 2013, the association “Cultural and Educational Center Kloster – Posa e.V.” the area.
Kloster Posa
