Discoveries from the Marienhof excavations

Archaeological Showcase

More than 250 archaeological digs have been carried out in Munich’s old town alone. What happens to the artifacts once they are excavated? The major excavations in Marienhof Square in 2011/2012 prompted a number of state and municipal actors of to set up the "Archäologie München" working group which operates under the aegis of the Archaeological Collection of the Bavarian State. A group of specialists, including archaeologists, botanists, zoologists, anthropologists and historians, have begun to research the ways in which everyday life, the environment and the city’s appearance have changed since the Middle Ages.

The resulting findings are now being presented using the Marienhof site and its multi-facetted history as an illustration. Pottery, glass and leather artifacts provide insights into everyday life, animal bones offer us a glimpse into the relationship between people and animals, and plant remains give us some idea about the diet of Munich’s inhabitants in medieval and post-medieval times. Signs of the city’s more recent history have also been found at Marienhof, including Café Deistler tableware damaged in the air raids during the Second World War.

The exhibition is a collaboration between the Bavarian State Archaeological Collection and the Münchner Stadtmuseum.