Medieval Convent Discovered Beneath Danish Soccer Field

Researchers have unveiled a significant archaeological find beneath a soccer field in Roskilde, Denmark. A medieval convent, St. Clare’s, built in the 13th century, was discovered through a ground-penetrating radar survey. This finding was announced by ROMU, a recognized Danish museum organization.

Ahead of building an underground parking facility, the survey revealed a well-preserved convent complex approximately three feet below the surface. The scans showed traces of various parts of the convent, including rooms, columns, cloisters, and a church in the southern wing. The eastern wing, in particular, stood out for its clearly defined rooms and vault pillars.

The convent was thought to be lost, as it was not protected as an ancient monument like the other four monastic sites in medieval Roskilde, the officials remarked.

Plans are underway for trial excavations at the parking site with the municipal cooperation. Although excavations of convents and monasteries are infrequent, the discovery surprised archaeologist and museum curator Jesper Langkilde from ROMU. He was astonished by the clarity and extent of the remaining structures.

St. Clare’s complex measured about 230 by 230 feet before its demolition in the 16th century. Despite extensive removal of bricks, much of the underground structure endures. Historical records mention around 500,000 bricks sold, though Langkilde believes the total might have been double.

Further excavations are anticipated to uncover numerous artifacts from daily medieval life. Items expected include pottery sherds, animal bones, religious objects like pendant crosses, rosary beads, and writing-related objects. Given such finds, researchers could gain insights into the nuns’ diets, the plants cultivated in gardens, and even potentially identify burials at the site.

Langkilde shared that the discovery is crucial in expanding knowledge of Roskilde’s monasteries, which have scant archaeological documentation. Initial nuns might have originated from a Strasbourg convent, indicating possible international ties.

This find, according to Langkilde, enhances understanding of the medieval monasteries’ role in the development of Roskilde, an important and affluent medieval town. Moreover, it demonstrates how much can be learned through geophysical surveys without physical excavation.