VERLAG DER APFEL
Schottenfeldgasse 65
1070
WIEN
Tel.:
Fax.:
01/52 661 52
01/52 287 18
July 16th, 2003
Dear Mr Moessmer,
enclosed please find the English version of yesterday’s sensational and highly interesting
news-release.
Best regards to your wife
sincerely yours
Thomas C. Cubasch
NOREIA LOCALIZED IN THE SOUTHERN PART OF CARINTHIA
Early historian from Carinthia finally defines the “Gracarca”-hill near Lake Klopein
(Klopeiner See) as centre of the mystic region of NORICUM.
St. Kanzian (oej) - The Noricum sovereignty is the first political framework to be identified
within today’s Austrian territory and can be dated around 200 B. C. Their founders, the
inhabitants of Noricum, belong to the tribe of Celts, having been formed during the iron-age
and who have dominated European history for many a thousand years.
Innumerable historians and archaeologists have been trying to find conclusive proofs for the
exact position of Noricum and their mysterious capital “Noreia”. Among them is Dr. Paul
Gleirscher, curator at the department for primeval and early history at the Museum of the
province of Carinthia and university teacher at the Klagenfurt University.
Mr Gleirscher has done intensive ground survey on and in the surroundings of the Gracarcahill and has excavated a number of items which offer a lot of data regarding a very important
iron-age settlement.
He now explained to the “Oesterreich-Journal” that he finally has come to the conclusion that it
is on the Gracarca-hill, where the long searched for capital of Noreia had to be situated.
Former surmises can now finally be excluded, the archaeologist says by stating: “ The
settlement which we have localized on the Gracarca-hill, is a typical mountain-settlement of
natural armipotence (i.e. a natural scenery that allows and gives great possibility to offer
resistance) and that is what has always passed for a pattern for our researches. This
settlement is an extensive area and is gaining enormous rise and power in the course of a
thousand years B. C. The pitch is reached during the last three centuries B. C. and lies
therefore within the time referred to.”
It is tradition that iron from Noricum was a “brand-name” even in the antique capital of Rome
because of its outstanding quality and thus also a raw-material highly wanted for in the
manufacturing.
Mr Gleirscher: “We have found here an accordingly central place of iron-making, proofed by
the manifoldness of finds respectively the variety of ways of converting. Together with a
mining richness this of course is an elite which even then acted internationally: We found fine
drinking-vessels, weapons of high quality and accessories for horse-men, silver spurs with
enamelled inlays and many other objects that are to be found in Europe solely at finds of
prominent sites.”
The quality of finds of the Gracarca compared to other places of discovery defines the centre
of Noricum and their capital right here, named according to antique literature after the name of
the Celtic goddess “Noreia”. This place refers to an adequate extension following the
importance and impressiveness and is clearly the largest settlement of late Celtic-age having
been found within a relevant circumference up to now.
To Mr Gleirscher the secret about the geographical position of Noreia is finally clarified.
Nevertheless it will take at least as much patience from the archaeologist for the next steps as
he has already been spending up to now.
“When during the middle-ages one made efforts in building vineyards many of the remnants of
this settlement were strongly destroyed. We therefore have to wait before we can ask
ourselves for noble-men or even the seat of a king. We would need intact or unharmed
ground plans and other traces. Starting points among the tumuli or barrows have been found.
If we go on being successful there and by creating a sensibility towards the public also receive
reports about finds, we also could start searching and taking a closer look at the social
classes in order to enlighten these élititist structure any further” concludes Mr Gleirscher.
A few days ago excavations at this mysterious site have started anew. This time taking aim at
the south-side of Gracarca-hill. That’s where at a cemetery a noble class of the iron-age and
the early middle-ages can be fixed. To the latter one belongs a complete grave of a horseman from the eighth century. It is intended to find out whether this is a small cemetery of noble
men of the tribe of the “Carantanes”.
Wouldn’t it be fascinating to come upon the graves of the first sovereigns of the early middleages of Carinthia, 1200 years later?
DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOS:
Excavation area around a longitudinal house of the Hallstatt-period.
Celtic boar’s statuette made of bronze with enamelled inlays and silver comb.
Fibulae (clasps) from an illegal excavation were bought back in Germany by the Province of
Carinthia.
Key of a certain mechanism with a special lock which indicates that precious goods had been
locked in the houses.
This belt or strap in the form of a tongue with avarian ornamentation was a burial gift to a duke
of the tribe of the “Carantanes/Carantanians” (which are the former people or inhabitants of
Carinthia at that time).
Shackle of a kettle as used in Celtic houses for cooking and boiling above open fire.
SOURCE:
If this source is quoted this press-release is free.
Source: Oesterreich Journal (http://www.oe-journal.at)
Copyright-free Photos with 150 dpi can be selected under
http://www.oe-journal.at/Aktuelles/Presse/gracarca140703.htm
CONTACTS:
Since Dr. Paul GLEIRSCHER cannot be reached at the excavation-place, kindly try to contact
him for any specific questions or interviews via E-mail under
paul.gleirscher@landesmuseum-ktn.at
Regarding appointments please contact
Mr Adrian EBERHART under 0043/664/34 00 138
“Oesterreich Journal” http://www.oe-journal.at is an internet-portal for Austrian abroad and has
been supplying something like 125 radio-stations and news agencies outside the German
speaking countries with news coming from Austria for almost six years.
For any principal question regarding this mail please contact
Mr Michael Moessmer under 0043/664/161 04 71