Archaeologists at Berlin’s Molkenmarkt, the city’s oldest square, have unearthed a trove of medieval artifacts that shed light on the religious practices and beliefs of the Late Middle Ages. The excavation, led by the Berlin State Office for Monument Preservation (Landesdenkmalamt Berlin), uncovered nearly intact statuettes of Saint Catherine of Alexandria and the Madonna with Child, along with fragments of 188 ceramic female figures.
Molkenmarkt, located in the historic Alt-Berlin quarter of the Mitte district, has been the site of extensive archaeological investigations for nearly half a decade. The area has yielded over 600,000 objects, including a 17th-century Japanese Wakizashi sword.
Dr. Sebastian Heber, head of the Department of Archaeological Monument Preservation at the Berlin State Monument Office, noted, “Both saintly figures are extremely rare in an archaeological context for Berlin and beyond. They provide a unique glimpse into the civic religiosity of the Late Middle Ages.”
One of the highlights of the discovery is an 11-centimeter-tall white clay statuette of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, dated stylistically to the mid-15th century. This finely crafted figure is nearly intact, adorned with a tall spiked crown symbolizing divine marriage. It also features the symbols of her martyrdom: a sword and a wheel. Saint Catherine, a scholar and Christian martyr of the early 4th century, was venerated during the Late Middle Ages as a patron saint and a helper in times of need.
Another significant find is a 7-centimeter-tall statuette of the Madonna holding the Christ Child. While the figure is missing its head, it depicts the Virgin Mary cradling the child in her left arm, with her right hand appearing to offer him an apple, a symbolic reference to the redemption of humanity. Made of white clay and dated to the mid-15th century, this depiction of the Madonna reflects her central role in medieval religious art and devotion.
Adding to the significance of the excavation is the discovery of fragments from 188 female ceramic statuettes, dating back to the mid-14th century. These figurines feature medallion-shaped settings in their chest areas, which contained inlays made of human bone fragments. Researchers believe these statuettes served as reliquaries, holding physical remnants of saints and embodying the deep spiritual connection people had with their faith during this period.
The statuettes, reconstructed to stand about 8 centimeters tall, represent both crowned and uncrowned figures, reflecting the growing popular piety of the Late Middle Ages. Their discovery offers a rare opportunity to study the intersection of art, faith, and daily life in medieval Berlin.
Credit: Berlin State Monument Office
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