The discovery of the church of Rungholt, a landmark for the drowned medieval landscapes of the Wadden Sea World Heritage

Researchers have uncovered the remains of Rungholt, a medieval trading center and church in the Edomsharde region of North Frisia, Germany, offering new insights into the drowned landscapes of the UNESCO-listed Wadden Sea. Using geophysical, geoarchaeological, and archaeological methods, the study identified up to 64 dwelling mounds, drainage ditches, a seadike, and the church itself—a significant landmark—revealing a thriving society engaged in transregional trade. These findings challenge previous assumptions about the extent of destruction during the 1362 AD storm floods and provide a comprehensive reconstruction of this lost cultural landscape, filling critical gaps in medieval history for both North Frisia and the broader Wadden Sea region.

Wilken, D., Hadler, H., Majchczack, B. S., Blankenfeldt, R., Auge, O., Bäumler, S., Bienen-Scholt, D., Ickerodt, U., Klooß, S., Reiß, A., Willershäuser, T., Rabbel, W., & Vött, A. (2024). The discovery of the church of Rungholt, a landmark for the drowned medieval landscapes of the Wadden Sea World Heritage. Scientific Reports, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-66245-0