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F ossa C arolina : The First Attempt to Bridge the C entral E uropean Watershed—A Review, New Findings, and Geoarchaeological Challenges
Author(s) -
Leitholdt Eva,
Zielhofer Christoph,
BergHobohm Stefanie,
Schnabl Katharina,
KopeckyHermanns Britta,
Bussmann Jens,
Härtling Joachim W.,
Reicherter Klaus,
Unger Katrin
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
geoarchaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.696
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 1520-6548
pISSN - 0883-6353
DOI - 10.1002/gea.21386
Subject(s) - trench , geology , peat , watershed , infill , archaeology , geography , engineering , civil engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry , layer (electronics) , machine learning , computer science
The C entral E uropean watershed passes through the southern F ranconian J ura in B avaria, G ermany. This principal watershed divides the R hine/ M ain catchment and the D anube catchment. In the early Middle Ages, when ships were an important means of transportation, C harlemagne decided to connect these catchments by the construction of a canal known as the F ossa C arolina . In this paper, we present for the first time 14 C data from the F ossa C arolina fill and document a high‐resolution stratigraphic record of the C arolingian and post‐ C arolingian trench infilling. Our results provide clear evidence for peat layers in different levels of the trench infill, suggesting a chain of ponds. However, the majority of these peat layers yield mid‐Medieval and younger ages. The period of major peat growth was during the Medieval climatic optimum. Therefore, our preliminary results do not prove the use of the trench during C arolingian times. However, first results from the reconstruction of the C arolingian trench bottom support the hypothesis that the F ossa was primarily planned as a navigable chain of ponds and not as a continuous canal. In the eastern part of the trench, a dam is located that was postulated in former studies to be part of a barrage for supplying the C arolingian canal with water. New 14 C data indicate much younger ages and do not support the C arolingian barrage concept.