A large Germanic settlement dating from the 2nd to 5th centuries CE has been uncovered in Bielefeld-Sieker, Germany. Excavations by the Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe (LWL) revealed a rare settlement type for East Westphalia, where most communities of the period lived in small farmsteads or scattered groups of homes.
Aerial view of the current excavation area ahead of the construction of a new school in Bielefeld-Sieker. The rows of excavated archaeological features still show the locations of the Germanic longhouses today. Credit: LWL Archaeology for Westphalia/Arne Koch
The excavation team identified at least 30 large longhouses, some measuring up to 8 meters (26 feet) wide and 30 meters (98 feet) long. Researchers also found several smaller buildings, including sunken-featured structures often linked to craft work or storage.
The size and layout of the settlement suggest it served as an important local center during the Roman period. Unlike typical rural settlements of the region, where only a few families lived together, Bielefeld-Sieker appears to have supported a much larger community.
Earlier research in the 1980s had already revealed a row of unusually placed main houses southeast of the Mühlenbach stream. New excavations showed many buildings were rebuilt in the same spots two or three times. This suggests some farmsteads stayed active for up to 200 years.
Pottery from the site shows the settlement reached its height during the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE. A small Roman coin from the 2nd century CE also helped researchers date one of the buildings. The coin was found inside a posthole from a house, giving archaeologists a clear date for the construction of the structure.
The location of the settlement played a major role in its growth. The area sits on fertile loess soils along the northern slopes of the Teutoburg Forest, which provided good farmland. The nearby Mühlenbach stream supplied a steady source of fresh water.
The excavation team documents and excavates the former pit fills in the soil. These remains provide important information about life in Westphalia during the Roman Imperial period. Credit: LWL Archaeology for Westphalia/Sebastian Düvel
The settlement also stood close to an ancient route known as the Roman Pass. Roman armies used parts of this network during campaigns toward the Weser River. Supplies moved from the Lippe River area through places such as Anreppen and Paderborn before reaching routes across the Senne region.
A Roman marching camp found earlier in Sennestadt supports the idea that the area had military and travel links during Roman times. Soldiers likely moved through the Bielefeld Pass, a low corridor between Sennestadt and Stieghorst, before heading north.
Researchers think these routes continued to play a role after Roman troops left the region. Archaeologists found many Roman objects, especially in a nearby cemetery connected to the settlement. Roman coins and imported goods show that contact with areas west of the Rhine continued for several centuries.
The settlement’s location along a busy route likely helped local people trade food and other goods. Farmers working the fertile land may have produced extra supplies for merchants passing through the region. Some Roman objects may also have arrived through military service, as Germanic soldiers who joined the Roman army could have returned home with foreign items.
Excavation team member Ristam Abdo uncovers one of the discolorations in the soil. It marks the location of a wooden post from nearly 2,000 years ago. Credit: LWL Archaeology for Westphalia/Sebastian Düvel
The dense arrangement of houses raises questions about why people chose to live so closely together. Germanic settlements of this period usually consisted of separate farmsteads spread across the landscape. The Bielefeld-Sieker community had no known fortifications or nearby hillfort, so researchers think close living arrangements might have offered greater safety along an important travel route.
The settlement appears to have declined during the 5th century CE, when the Western Roman Empire collapsed and long-distance trade networks weakened. As connections between regions faded, the routes that had supported the community lost much of their importance.
The new findings are now part of a wider research project called “West Germania in Transition,” which studies changes in western Germanic societies during the Roman period and the centuries after Rome’s influence declined. Further analysis of the buildings and artifacts will help researchers understand how this unusual settlement developed and why it was eventually abandoned.
More information: LWL-Archäologie für Westfalen