The Bensheim Museum has been showing archaeological discoveries from in southern Hesse. The special exhibition “Erd-Reich” spans the earliest farming communities of the Neolithic period to the High Middle Ages. Exhibits include a wooden well from Heppenheim, a Bronze Age find from Dornheim and objects from Tannenberg Castle.
The exhibition was created in collaboration with hessenARCHÄOLOGIE, part of the Hesse State Office for Heritage Management. According to the town of Bensheim, the discoveries on display come from excavations carried out over the past 15 years; many objects are being shown to the public for the first time. The exhibition runs until 17 January 2027.
One of its main attractions is the Linear Pottery well from Heppenheim. The State Office describes it as the oldest known wooden structure in Hesse. According to the town, the well is around 7,000 years old and offers a glimpse of a time when farming communities settled in the region. By showing not only the finds themselves but also how they are studied, the exhibition aims to explain how surviving materials can be used to draw conclusions about ways of life in the distant past.
Finds from later periods include a Late Bronze Age hoard from Dornheim and objects from the Merovingian period found in Heppenheim. There are also medieval objects from Tannenberg Castle. Bringing together sites and periods from southern Hesse in one place allows them to be considered together, although they would not necessarily be viewed side by side in the museum’s day-to-day work. The objects also represent different aspects of earlier societies: according to the organisers, the exhibition covers daily life, crafts and burial customs.
Another regional exhibit is a bronze object found near Groß-Rohrheim . According to the town, it once formed part of a gilded Roman monumental bronze sculpture and depicts a youthful male sea creature. The town’s announcement also mentions a Roman bronze cauldron and a slate slab bearing incised marks.
The display goes beyond presenting individual objects. It also explains why the context in which a find was made matters to its interpretation. An object alone does not always provide a clear explanation; its surroundings and comparisons with other finds can help support an interpretation. According to the State Office, the methods featured include the study of tree rings and archaeobotany.
Digital features complement the originals. According to the town, screens show AI-generated reconstructions of past ways of life. A spot-the-error activity draws attention to possible discrepancies with historical findings. The images should therefore be understood as depictions of possible conditions, not as direct evidence of the past.
The museum at Bensheim’s market square is open during the exhibition from 3pm to 6pm on Thursdays and Fridays, and from noon to 6pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Groups and school classes can arrange visits.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).