The secrets of the Stülper Huk: archaeologists on a discovery tour!

The secrets of the Stülper Huk: archaeologists on a discovery tour!

The Stülper Huk, a small peninsula in the Dummersdorfer Ufer nature reserve, plays an important role in the history of the Lübeck region. Scientists and archaeologists have studied this strategically important location intensively in recent years. [uni-kiel.de] reports that the Stülper Huk served as a suspected location for a castle belonging to Count Adolf II. This castle was intended to monitor shipping traffic and trade on the Trave. The research history of the Stülper Huk goes back to 1910, and despite intensive investigations, many secrets have not yet been revealed.

The oldest finds, which date back to the Neolithic period, are particularly revealing. In addition, further archaeological discoveries show that the site was also used in the first centuries AD and in the Middle Ages. The dating of the ramparts remains unclear, which further stimulates ongoing research. The cooperation between the Department of Archeology and Monument Preservation in the Hanseatic City of Lübeck, the Institute for Prehistory and Protohistory at the Christian Albrechts University in Kiel (CAU) and the Cluster of Excellence ROOTS plays a central role in these efforts.

Significance of the Stülper Huk for the region

Dr. Felix Rösch, underwater archaeologist and project manager, emphasizes the importance of the Stülper Huk for research. He explains that the archaeologists' goal is to expand the understanding of the settlement, use and role of the Stülper Huk in traffic on the Trave. Preliminary investigations have already begun; CAU students and archaeologists carry out drilling, surface inspections and underwater archaeological searches.

A significant excavation is planned on one of the ramparts in the fall, which will be based on the initial results of the preliminary investigations. The Stülper Huk rises around 16 meters high as an elevation of the Hirtenberg and combines historical significance with geological properties. Historically, the headland is considered Travemünde's predecessor and a customs station. Here, in 2023, a salvaged Hanseatic ship from the late 1650s sank nearby, underscoring the area's maritime history.

History and archaeological discoveries

The Stülper Huk has a long and fascinating history that began in the 12th century when Henry the Lion fortified the Huk with a castle due to its strategic location. However, this was destroyed by the Abodrites about 30 years after it was built. Archaeological finds from the Stone Age prove that the Huk was a visited place even back then.

The first written mention of the Huk dates back to around 1147/1149 as a spur of the Shepherd Mountain. Near Dummersdorf there are ramparts and moats of a former fortification, probably a motte (tower hill castle). Excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries uncovered the remains of this ancient fortification, including ditches and an interior with stone foundations. This complex was identified as Alt-Travemünde and runs through the chronicles of Helmold von Bosau and Arnold von Lübeck.

Count Adolf II of Holstein had the castle renovated after an attack by the Slavic Abotrite prince Niklot. In 1158, Count Adolf II had to cede Lübeck to Duke Henry the Lion, who had also taken over the castle on Stülper Huk. The castle was burned down by the Abotrites during the siege of Lübeck in 1181. The name Travemünde was later transferred to a new castle that was relocated while the old site lost importance. These historical backgrounds make the Stülper Huk an important archaeological monument in Travemünde, which still offers significant insights into the region's past today.