Kreuzungsfelder

Kreuzungsfelder is a term used in geography and landscape archaeology to describe a pattern of field division centered on road intersections. The term, literally crossing fields, denotes parcels arranged around crossroads, producing a cross-like layout visible in field boundaries and, in some cases, in historic cadastral maps.

Etymology and scope: The word comes from German Kreuzung and Feld. It is not a formal legal category, but a descriptive label used by researchers to characterize certain historical land-use patterns, particularly in German-speaking areas and neighboring regions.

Historical context: Kreuzungsfelder are associated with medieval and early modern agrarian landscapes when land was subdivided according to road networks and local governance. The cross pattern often reflects the location of lanes, market crosses, or toll points where travellers converged.

Morphology and examples: In plan, four to eight field parcels radiate or converge at a central intersection, with boundaries running along orthogonal lines. Hedgerows, ditches, or fences define edges. In some places, the central junction became a village green or a wayside cross.

Significance: Studying Kreuzungsfelder helps interpret historical land tenure, transport routes, and settlement patterns. They aid in reconstructing regional history from cadastral records and aerial photography; many have been altered by modern infrastructure, but some remain identifiable as cultural landscapes.