The priority project Inter Alpes Noricas is dedicated to the exploration of a transport network that connected the military zone of the Limes with the natural resources of the inner-Alpine area and gained particular importance in the course of the stationing of the Legio II Italica in Lauriacum-Enns.

Militaria and military costume in the inner-Alpine region east of Hallstatt


The Roman exploitation of natural resources in the Salzkammergut was convincingly established since the investigations of the settlement Michelhall for the middle and late imperial period on the basis of numerous finds, including military objects. In the course of the project »Inter Alpes Noricas« the processing of artifacts discovered surrounding this central settlement site was initiated and aims at documenting the direct contact with the Limes region along a transportation route that starting at the Hallstätter See passed the stations in Obertraun, Unterkainisch and Pichl-Kainisch and led across the plane of Bad Mitterndorf in the direction of Pürgg at the foot of the Grimming. Along this route the built structures were documented with the help of geophysical surveys of the ancient settlement site of Pichl-Kainisch but also the traditional paradigm for the course of the ancient road in the Mitterdorfer Hochtal was completely revised.

Bad Mitterndorf/Kampwald – a station along the way inter-Alpes?


Following the direction of the newly surveyed road embankment from Pichl-Kainisch to the east led to the discovery of an important find site for the region in the area of the Kampwald by Bad Mitterndorf. Due to strategic considerations regarding the embankment of the ancient route network a sensational discovery was made in the middle of a forested area: An ancient spring tapping that functioned as part of a bathing building and probably also as a supply establishment of an inner-alpine statio. A coin hoard discovered in this building structure suggests that its function was of supraregional importance.

The coin hoard of Bad Mitterndorf/Kampwald


This coin hoard consists of over 550 freshly minted silver denarii from a narrow time span. The final coin dates to the rule of Gordian II. The coins were deposited without any recognizable shell, i.e. without a vessel or a bag. The only context is provided by an iron finger ring that was discovered together with the middle finger of the hand of an individual at least 30 years old. This exceptional find could hypothetically be associated with hidden loot.

Principal Investigator

Cooperation

Verein HEFOSA

Duration

since 2019

Funding

  • OeAW-OeAI
  • Verein HEFOSA