Working Group Archaeotechnology and Experimental Archaeology

Archaeology is not just about looking at finds and telling stories. Many questions about the past can only be better understood when forgotten techniques are put into practice and thus revived: How did ironworking work? What steps were necessary for textile production? What can be said about diet, cooking, and storage? And how might weapons and equipment have actually been used?

With the Working group „Archaeotechnology and Experimental Archaeology“ The Celtic World at Glauberg connects research, museum education, volunteer work, and the interested public. Its aim is to further explore archaeological questions through reconstruction, practical testing, and documented analysis. The working group sees itself as a platform for collaborative learning, research, and experimentation – under expert guidance and with a scientific rigor.

In the long term, the Celtic World at Glauberg is to be further developed into a center for archaeotechnology and experimental archaeology. The museum garden plays an important role in this: it is increasingly becoming an open-air laboratory where historical techniques can be tested, materials can be examined, and work processes can be made visible.

The working group is currently divided into four working groups:

AG Eisen

The Iron Working Group deals with questions concerning Iron Age metalworking. The focus is on raw materials, tools, technical processes, and practical experiments in the production and processing of iron. This can include experiments with bloomery furnaces, forging techniques, or questions regarding material use.

AG Textil

The Textile Working Group focuses on the production, processing, and use of textiles in the Iron Age. Topics include fibers, spinning, weaving, dyeing, clothing, and textile furnishings. Practical reconstructions allow for a better understanding of production processes, labor costs, and craftsmanship.

Nutrition Working Group

The Nutrition Working Group investigates what people in the Iron Age might have eaten, what ingredients were available, and how food was prepared. This involves archaeobotanical and archaeological evidence as well as practical cooking experiments. The working group is closely involved with educational outreach and the Bistro zum Keltenfürsten (Bistro at the Celtic Prince).

Celtic Martial Arts Working Group

The Celtic Martial Arts Working Group investigates the practical use of weapons and equipment by Iron Age warriors. Their research is based, among other things, on finds from Glauberg: swords, spears, shields, and depictions of the so-called "Celtic prince." Practical exercises and reconstructions explore how this equipment might have been used and what open research questions arise from it.