Builders stumble on Dark Ages village in Salzburg

[Kristin Galpin]

02. 04. 09. - 13:00

Builders stumble on Dark Ages village in Salzburg

The ruins of a village dating back to the fall of the Roman empire have been found at an excavation site in Salzburg.

Workers found the remains of the village which is thought to date back to the 5th to 7th centuries at a 6,000-square-metre site for construction of a home for pensioners at Anif-Niederalm in the Flachgau region.

Archaeologists say that a layman probably wouldn’t recognise anything special at the site, but claim it may shed considerable light on a period of local history about which relatively little is known.

An archaeologist said it was the largest find from that period of history in Salzburg to date. He noted the settlement had consisted of wooden buildings and such items as jewellery, tools like hammers and anvils and vessels made of clay had already been found at the site.

Archaeologists are trying to finish their work at the site as rapidly as possible before construction of the home for pensioners resumes.

Austrian Times
http://austriantimes.at/index.php?id=12244