A new DFG project has been launched to study brick stamps in Roman Trier.
Trier reached its peak in the 4th century AD, when it served as a residence for Roman emperors. Monumental structures like the Imperial Baths and the Basilica of Constantine still stand as evidence of this prosperous period. These buildings were constructed using fired bricks in various formats, which were employed in walls, roofing, and heating systems.
Today, around 4,000 stamped Roman bricks are housed in the storage facilities of the Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier, part of the Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe (GDKE). Excavated since the early 20th century, this collection ranks among the largest of its kind in the northern Roman provinces. Yet, only a fraction of these bricks has been thoroughly examined.
A research team from the museum, Goethe University Frankfurt, and the Leibniz Centre for Archaeology (LEIZA) is now working to systematically study the collection. Their aim is to uncover new insights into brick production as a vital economic activity during Trier’s Roman expansion.
“We assume that most of the stamped bricks date from Late Antiquity. This allows us to conduct a comprehensive analysis of how building ceramics were produced and used during this period,” says Dr. Thomas Schmidts, a private lecturer at Goethe University and conservator in the “Roman Archaeology” area of competence at LEIZA in Mainz. “Brick stamps are also key to understanding the economic and social structures of Late Antiquity,” he adds.
Mapping Ancient Trier’s Construction Economy
A key project focus is the spatial distribution of the bricks, which will help researchers trace the architectural development of Augusta Treverorum, the Roman Trier, which became known as Treveris in Late Antiquity. The study may reveal previously unknown state and public construction projects.
Additionally, the researchers plan to quantify the efforts involved in late antique brick production, transportation, and construction.
For the first time, archaeometric analyses will be conducted on Trier’s bricks, examining their material composition – specifically, the chemical composition of the clay – to determine the raw materials used. This will allow researchers to identify or confirm the existence of specific workshops.
Broader Implications and Methodological Innovation
“We are very pleased that our joint proposal was successful in the competitive DFG process. A broad methodological spectrum is not just typical of LEIZA, it also is increasingly important to gaining groundbreaking new insights,” emphasizes Prof. Dr. Alexandra W. Busch, General Director of LEIZA. “The project’s findings will not only expand our knowledge of late antique building ceramics but also serve as a model study that integrates archaeological and archaeometric methodologies, helping us reconstruct Trier’s historical development.”
The project, titled “The Roman Brick Stamps of Trier – A Contribution to Research on the Organization of Ancient Building Ceramics Production and Distribution for the Expansion of a Metropolis in Northern Gaul,” has been awarded €340,000 in funding by the DFG for two years. In addition to Dr. Thomas Schmidts, the project’s lead applicants are Prof. Dr. Markus Scholz from Goethe University’s Institute of Archaeological Sciences and Dr. Marcus Reuter, Director of Rheinisches Landesmuseum Trier, which is part of the General Directorate for Cultural Heritage Rhineland-Palatinate (Generaldirektion Kulturelles Erbe Rheinland-Pfalz, GDKE).
The project is also part of the “Research Focus on Roman Archaeology and Maritime Antiquity (FoRuM)” in Rhineland-Palatinate, a strategic research alliance between LEIZA, the University of Trier, and GDKE, dedicated to cutting-edge research on antiquity.
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