Erdstall

Over 2000 large Medieval-era man-made tunnels, known as “Erdstall”, have been discovered all across Europe, with the largest number being discovered in Germany and Austria. Nobody knows who made them or why. The tunnels are incredibly narrow (around 24 inches in width) and short (3’3” to 4’7” feet in height). A number of tunnels include a “slip” which is a point where the tunnel becomes even more narrow as it goes to a deeper level. Some of these tunnels are quite complex, with multiple layers like that of a modern subway system with different chambers and numerous offshoot tunnels. Some of them are adjacent to cemeteries, while others can be found in the middle of the woods. Most of these tunnels have absolutely nothing inside them. There is no evidence of tire tracks or human remains or waste from day to day life. Millstones and a plowshare have been found, but they are very uncommon. Charcoal has been found in a few tunnels, which has been dated to 950 to late 1100s. The diggers have left no recorded trace of why they made these.