What to do when a new Erdstall is discovered?

We know little about the primary purpose of the Erdställe. To explore them further, they must be documented free from disturbances, in their original condition.

Many owners of Erdställe expend money and effort in order to preserve and care for ‘their’ Erdstall. Some even regularly offer tours to interested visitors, such as the Keil family in Rabmühle. (Photo: Keil)

Unfortunately, most known Erdställe are destroyed. There are merely 32 examples in Bavaria, and only very few of them are preserved well enough to be considered as ‘of archaeological value’. Therefore, all Erdställe ought to be conserved for the future. As ground monuments, they are protected by law.

What many do not know: Even ‘travelling’ an Erdstall can cause the destruction of significant archaeological features. In order to obtain good research results, it is of utmost importance that objects and backfills are undisturbed. Unassisted inspections out of curiosity or for the thrill of it and unprofessional examinations are a threat to the Erdställe and should be forgone. To avoid conflicts between owners, researchers, and monument protection agencies, entry into the tunnels ought to take place only with permission by the cultural heritage authorities.

When an Erdstall is discovered or when it is assumed that a discovery might represent an Erdstall, the Untere Denkmalschutzbehörde of the respective Landkreis or the Landesamt für Denkmalpflege must be informed immediately.

For information and advice – such as regarding a security concept – you also can contact the Arbeitskreis für Erdstallforschung e. V. (‘Working Group for Erdstall Research’), which is working closely with the monument protection agencies. More information on www.Erdstall.de.

Thank you to all owners of Erdställe facilitating and supporting the preservation and investigation of Erdställe!