The Erdstall Tunnel Shard

by Dr M. James

Erdstalls, the mysterious yet commonplace tunnels found throughout Europe present historians with a mystery. The most recent example, discovered in northern Bavaria, has caused us more discomfort, for in it was found a single shard of pottery. Etched on it with the fragment of a Greek word ‘χρ-‘.

What does it mean? Firstly, we must dismiss the old theories. The tunnels were useless as form of storage. Transporting goods inside them would soon have blocked access to the tiny passageways. Ditto as a hiding place when villages were attacked. The Erdstalls invariably have a single entrance, not much use as a potential escape route, not to mention the lack of ventilation.

A possible religious use? The Greek on the shard is certainly the first letters of kristos (i.e. Christ).  But where are the records, the archaeological remains?  Surely if some subterranean offshoot of Christianity had taken root in Europe we would know. Yet there is nothing.  

I am aware of Prof. Powell’s increasing obsession with the idea that the tunnels were the work of some unknown cult. This is surely the deadest of all ends, based as it is on a single, much disputed source.  A nameless women who has disappeared and must be found. Who is neither god nor human. A belief system which (conveniently) is designed to leave no trace. Invisible to the mortal and the divine.

No doubt Hollywood could make good use of such a tale, but we are historians. We work with evidence. Instead, I suggest a more prosaic possibility. ‘χρ-‘ forms the root of another famous Greek word. Χρυσός, or gold. Perhaps the Erdstalls appeared during one of the bullion famines that afflicted the middle ages. Perhaps they were simple, misplaced attempts at mining by peasant communities that knew no better.

Certainly such activity would not be broadcast, for fear of their ‘potential’ wealth being discovered.  Certainly, such endeavours would eventually stop when no gold was found. The whole project then quickly forgotten as an embarrassing waste of precious effort.

Not as exciting as the enigmatic ‘She Who Rests’ hiding from Zues, but at least it is a theory with some grip. Time, as always, well tell.

Dr. M James,

Univeristy of Exeter, April 1978