Gunnar Heinsohn has been eager to expand on Illig's lost early AD centuries, and has expanded the theory by creating an even bigger lost age, a black hole filling most of the post Roman first millennium AD. An email thread has developed, fed by Clark Whelton – and all comers are welcome to participate (if they have anything sensible to say). Use the contact number and I will pass on your details to Clark.
I came across this post today at http://archaeologynewsnetwork.blogspot.co.uk/2014/02/second-oldest-churc… … which refers to the Old Cathedral in Mainz. It was badly damaged in WWII and has subsequently been resurrected as an evangelical church. Archaeologists have found the remains of an even earlier church going back to Charlemagne – 1200 years ago (on the mainstream menu). However, it is not the oldest church in Germany – this accolade goes to one at Trier in the Mosel valley which has remains of Roman times. While that might suit Illig, and Heinsohn, the one in Mainz may not. The Old Cathedral itself goes back to nearly 1000 years ago but it has been found it was incorporated into an earlier version from the Carolingian era, several hundred years previously.