KØBENHAVNS MUSEUM MUSEUM OF COPENHAGEN / ARCHAEOLOGICAL REPORT Rådhuspladsen Metro Cityring Project KBM 3827, Vestervold Kvarter, Københavns Sogn Sokkelund Herred, Københavns Amt Kulturstyrelsen j.nr.: 2010-7.24.02/KBM-0015 Ed Lyne & Hanna Dahlström Contributions by Camilla Haarby Hansen Metro Cityring - Rådhuspladsen KBM 3827, Excavation Report Museum of Copenhagen Vesterbrogade 59 1620 København V Telefon: +45 33 21 07 72 Fax: +45 33 25 07 72 E-mail: [email protected] www.copenhagen.dk Cover picture: The Rådhuspladsen excavation, with Area 4 (foreground) and Area 5 open. Taken from the fourth floor of Politikens Hus (with kind permission), July 13th 2012 © Museum of Copenhagen 2015 ii Museum of Copenhagen 2015 Metro Cityring - Rådhuspladsen KBM 3827, Excavation Report Contents Abstract v 1 Introduction 1 2 Administrative data 8 3 Topography and cultural historical background 13 4 Archaeological background 23 5 Objectives and aims 30 6 Methodology, documentation, organisation and procedures 41 7 Archaeological results 62 Phase 1 Early urban development – AD 1050-1250 65 Phase 2 Urban consolidation – AD 1250-1350 128 Phase 3 Urban consolidation and defence – AD 1350-1500 170 Phase 4 Expansion of defences and infrastructure – AD 1500-1600 185 Phase 5 Decommissioning of the medieval defences; and the mill by Vesterport – AD 1600- c. 1670 223 Phase 6 The final phase of fortifications – c. AD 1670- c.1860 273 Phase 7 The modern city – AD 1860- present day 291 8 Assessment of results and future research potential 303 9 Future site potential 308 Bibliography 309 Main area and phase plans (A3) 313 Appendices – See list below iii Museum of Copenhagen 2015 Metro Cityring - Rådhuspladsen KBM 3827, Excavation Report List of Appendices (on disc) 1 Animal Bone Report Inge Bødker Enghoff 2 Archaeobotanical Report Håkan Ranheden, MM Hald & J Howorth 3 Pollen Analysis Report Anna Broström 4 Dendrochronology Report Hans Linderson & Ed Lyne 5 Worked Wood Report Karl-Magnus Melin 6 ICP Analysis Report Torbjörn Brorsson 7 Metallurgical Analysis Report Arne Jouttijärvi 8 Human Osteological Report Niels Lynnerup, M L Jørkov & C Primeau 9 Medieval Pottery Report Jesper Langkilde 10 Post-medieval Pottery Report Rikke Søndergaard Kristensen 11 Glass Finds Report Georg Haggrén 12 Flint Report Lars Haugesten & J W Johansen 13 Textile Report Charlotte Rimstad 14 Leather Report Vivi Lena Andersen 15 Rope Report Charlotte Rimstad 16 Building Material Claes Hadevik 17 Wall Tile Report Rikke Søndergaard Kristensen 18 Stove Tile Report R S Kristensen & Ole Kristiansen 19 Tools Report Claes Hadevik 20 Household Material Report Claes Hadevik 21 Personal Items Report Claes Hadevik 22 Coin Report Michael Märcher 23 Trade Items Report Claes Hadevik 24 Medieval Combs Report Hanna Dahlström & Steve Ashby 25 Post-medieval Combs Report Claes Hadevik 26 Arms and Armour Report Karsten Skjold Petersen 27 Ships and Fishing Equipment Report Hanne Marie Myrhøj 28 Horse Equipment Report Ed Lyne 29 Knives Report Stuart Whatley 30 Clay Tobacco Pipes Report Mie Pedersen 31 Security Finds Report Stuart Whatley 32 Cutlery Finds Report Stuart Whatley 33 Toy and Game Finds Report Mia Toftdal 34 Writing Equipment Report Stuart Whatley 35 Textile Related Tools Report Julie Størup 36 Unidentified Finds Report Claes Hadevik 37 AMS C14 (Radio-carbon) Dates Mats Rundgren 38 Isotope Analysis M Kanstrup & J Heinemeier iv Museum of Copenhagen 2015 Metro Cityring - Rådhuspladsen KBM 3827, Excavation Report Abstract This is the excavation report for the archaeological work conducted at Rådhuspladsen, Copenhagen (KBM 3827) by the Museum of Copenhagen in 2011-2012. In association with the Metro Cityring Project and in advance of the construction of a new Metro station at Rådhuspladsen, a large program of archaeological excavation and watching brief work was carried out in and around Rådhuspladsen, commencing in January 2011 with a completion date for the main phase of work in August 2012. Further episodes of watching brief work were conducted on site over the subsequent two years as required, when the ongoing construction at the site was deemed likely to have further impacts on archaeological material. The developer was Metroselskabet I/S, responsible for the overall construction of the new metro line, Cityringen, which will link to the existing Metro in Copenhagen and is due to open in 2019. It was known in advance that archaeological material was likely to be encountered at Rådhuspladsen in significant quantities, based both on historical and cartographic information and on some previous archaeological observations made in the area over the previous century or more. All this evidence suggested that part of the former city moat/moats from the medieval and post-medieval period would be seen, as well as elements of associated gates, and elements of a watermill. In particular, these structures had been documented to a degree in the 1940s during the construction of the underground toilet building, and the placement of air-raid shelters in various parts of the square. During the main phase of work at Rådhuspladsen (from January 2011 to August 2012), it was estimated that a total of 2.662 m3 would be archaeologically excavated, according to the single-context system. A further 2.211 m3 was to be observed and documented to a lesser degree in watching-brief conditions. The latter work was mainly conducted in areas considered to have less archaeological potential, and in essence the construction work took precedence, with the archaeologists mainly working as observers, documenting the archaeology encountered in a less thorough fashion. Where unexpected archaeology of a significant nature was encountered in watching briefs however, it was generally possible in consultation with the on- site contractor, to agree on a reasonable amount of time for appropriate documentation. In general the archaeological remains encountered at Rådhuspladsen exceeded expectation, with an immense amount of material surviving, spanning a period from as early as c. 1000 A.D. up to the 20th century. As well as the anticipated features such as the moats and other defence-related structures (gates, bridges, fences etc) and the mill, a good deal of unexpected pre-fortification remains were seen, in the form of various pits, wells, surfaces and structural remains suggestive of urban activity in the area from as early as the early medieval period. Furthermore, an entirely unexpected discovery was made when part of a burial area was encountered in a watching brief trench at the edge of H.C. Andersen’s Boulevard. There is no known historical documentation of this cemetery, and it had not been encountered archaeologically before. Some 20 individual burials were identified, and scientific dating of the remains suggests that the cemetery was in use in about the 11th century. The archaeological remains at Rådhuspladsen had been impacted to quite a high degree by various acts of construction down the years, and indeed in many cases had been impacted by subsequent archaeological activity, such as the construction of the moats. This meant that the remains encountered were often v Museum of Copenhagen 2015 Metro Cityring - Rådhuspladsen KBM 3827, Excavation Report partial, and quite complex in nature. Nonetheless, using the single context excavation system coupled with the use of sections where appropriate, and aided by C14 dating, dendrochronological dating, and artefactual typology, it has been possible in most cases to establish the order of events and gain a good picture of what has gone on in this area down the centuries. The results of the excavation at Rådhuspladsen are very significant in scale and in importance, contributing greatly to our knowledge of the earliest years of the western part of the fledgling town, as well as the subsequent development of the city and its fortifications in that area. The results of this work, and the supporting analyses of various experts, will be discussed in the following report. Archaeological periods: Early Medieval, Medieval, Renaissance, Post-medieval, Late Post-medieval, 20th century Feature types: Graves, ditches, pits, wells, buildings, roads, moats, bastion, gates, bridges, levelling deposits, backfills, dumps, foundations, watermill, mill race, crafts, wooden water pipes, air raid shelters. Key words: Fortification, moat, bastion, city gate, watermill, Christian IV, Renaissance, cemetery, medieval Copenhagen, early medieval settlement, iron smithing, urban waste vi Museum of Copenhagen 2015 Metro Cityring - Rådhuspladsen KBM 3827, Excavation Report 1 Introduction The excavation at Rådhuspladsen was undertaken in advance of the new Metro Cityring Project, which will provide a new transportation system in the city centre of Copenhagen and to the surrounding suburbs of the city. Where new Metro stations were to be constructed over archaeological material or sensitive remains, archaeological excavations were undertaken, in accordance with the Consolidated Act on Museums (see below). The Museum of Copenhagen (KBM) is responsible for the archaeological work carried out in the Copenhagen and Frederiksberg municipalities, and hence conducted the archaeological work on the project. The excavation was planned to start in week 4, January 2011 and was scheduled to continue until the beginning of July 2012 (ARL-0-AK-AK-Rhp-TGN-300, ver. 4.0, dated 2010-10-01). Ultimately the excavation was completed in August 2012. The post-excavation work, analysis of the data, specialist work and report writing