Charlemagne's Summit Canal: An Early Medieval Hydro-Engineering Project for Passing the Central European Watershed
Christoph Zielhofer|Eva Leitholdt|Lukas Werther|Andreas Stele|Jens Bussmann|S. Linzen|Michael Schneider|Cornelius Meyer|Stefanie Berg-Hobohm|Peter Ettel
The Central European Watershed divides the Rhine-Main catchment and Danube catchment. In Early Medieval period, when ships were important means of transportation, Charlemagne decided to link both catchments by construction a canal connecting Schwabian Rezat Altmühl rivers. artificial waterway would provide continuous inland navigation route from North Sea Black Sea. shortcut is known as Fossa Carolina represents one most engineering achievements in Europe. Despite geostrategic relevance it not clarified whether was actually used waterway. We present new geophysical data situ findings trench fills that prove for first time total length constructed Carolingian at least 2300 metres. have evidence conceptual width water course between 5 6 metres depth 60 80 cm. This allows crossing way passage cargo scows with payload several tons. There strong clayey silty layers which reveal suspension load limited stillwater deposition and, therefore, former post-Carolingian ponds. These are strongly supported numerous sapropel within fills. Our results presented this study indicate an extraordinarily advanced level canal. Here, excavated levels bottoms generally sufficient efficient stepped ponds final concept summit dislocation watershed assume sophisticated hydrological supplying adequate water.
PLOS ONE|Europe PMC (PubMed Central)|PubMed Central|PubMed