Image Credit: Jürgen Heinrich/IMAGO

Digging into Berlin Medieval Past at the Molkenmarkt

Archaeologists working in the historic heart of Berlin are uncovering an extraordinary record of the city’s medieval origins beneath the modern streets. Excavations at the Molkenmarkt—believed to be Berlin’s oldest market—have revealed how layers of fire debris, rubble, and daily waste gradually raised the city’s ground level by around four metres over the past 800 years.
The site, one of the largest inner-city excavations in Germany, covers more than 22,000 square metres. Since work began in 2019, researchers have recovered hundreds of thousands of artefacts, many preserved in remarkable condition. Old latrines and wells have proven especially rich, as oxygen-poor conditions protected organic materials such as wood, leather, textiles, and food remains. Among the finds are household objects, devotional items, musical instruments, and rare imports that point to long-distance trade connections in Berlin’s early history.
Some discoveries shed light on everyday life and diet, including animal bones with distinctive cut marks that suggest specific food practices in the Middle Ages. Others hint at belief and status, such as finely crafted jewellery and religious figurines once used in private homes. Together, these objects offer a detailed picture of a growing medieval town shaped by trade, craft, and routine domestic life.
The excavations are time-limited and will conclude before redevelopment begins. All finds are carefully documented, analysed, and conserved, forming a comprehensive archive of Berlin’s early centuries. Many of these objects are now displayed nearby in a new museum dedicated to the city’s archaeological heritage, built above the remains of a medieval church and school.
Beneath the museum, human remains recovered from a former cemetery have been respectfully reburied in an ossuary. Scientific analysis of the bones suggests that Berlin’s origins may predate its traditionally celebrated foundation date, prompting fresh discussion about the city’s true age.
Together, the Molkenmarkt excavations and the new museum are revealing a lesser-known chapter of Berlin’s history—one rooted not only in modern events, but in the everyday lives of its medieval inhabitants.

Published on: 27-12-2025

Edited by: Abdulmnam Samakie

Source: Deutsche Welle