Excavations at Borgsumburg Castle have ended for this year – but they will continue!

This year's investigations at the Borgsumburg on the North Frisian island Föhr have been successfully completed. The excavations served primarily to further our understanding of the internal structure and construction of the ring wall complex, as well as a possible fortification of the rampart crest.

Geophysical investigations have revealed that, in the most recent phase, small sod houses were built close together along the ring wall. One of these buildings has already been excavated on the west side of the castle. This year, research focused on the eastern part of the castle. Here, the entrance area of a building and the surrounding terrain were excavated. This revealed that in front of the entrance to the house, there was an area with layers containing charcoal. Further towards the centre of the castle, where there was a temporary water-bearing depression during the castle's time, a surrounding path made of light-coloured sand was discovered. Many hoofprints from cattle and horses were visible here.

No evidence of a wooden palisade was found on the crown of the ring wall. It appears that there was once a path here protected by sod walls on the outside and inside.

Many questions remain unanswered. Excavations at Borgsumburg will continue again next year!