Medieval House Unearthed in Werther, Germany

Archaeologists excavating a planned residential building in Werther, North‑Rhine Westphalia, uncovered the post‑built remains of a nearly 20‑metre long house dating to the 10th‑11th centuries. The structure was located on Ravensberger Straße, about 200 metres from St James Church, and its foundations indicate a settlement in the historic town centre that had previously been known only from church foundations.

The rescue dig, led by archaeologist Hisham Nabo, documented 39 features, including a later brick well and ceramic shards that confirm the early medieval date. The house, likely built near the Schwarzbach stream, was occupied for roughly 30‑40 years and shows evidence of repairs, such as a replaced post protected with stone linings that had been exposed to heat, possibly from a former hearth. The find provides the first direct archaeological proof of civilian habitation in Werther’s core during the early Middle Ages.