ABSTRACT
An investigation of bell frames in the German Federal States of Thuringia and Saxony-Anhalt has revealed specific basic types. Modification of these types took place for different reasons. It became clear that certain areas were limited to a single design typical of their respective region, the use of which became an established tradition. These traditions were informed not only by the locally available building materials, and thus the climate, but also by the repeated reuse of designs that had been proven in the past. This approach is evidenced in construction documentation and in other sources. Prior to the appearance of treatises on carpentry, there is archival evidence of transregional influences on bell frame designs through knowledge transfer between craftsmen, influences that are also evident when viewing traditional designs. A distinctive aspect of the wood structures examined in this paper is the close collaboration between bell casters, who generally worked transregionally, and specialised carpenters.
