Archaeology - Family grave around 4200 years old discovered near Domnitz
Archaeologists have discovered a 4,200-year-old family grave from the Bell Beaker culture near Domnitz in the Saale district. "It contains a 25-year-old man and two children: the older of the two is just under ten years old, the younger less than five," said project manager and archaeologist Susanne Friederich on Tuesday at the excavation site. "All three were buried together."
The man is lying on his left side facing east, as is usual for male bodies from this period. Next to the older child is a necklace made of a perforated bone plate and two shells. "The legs of the older child lie above those of the man. But the man has then placed his arm over the child again. This is very touching and a very loving family story," said Christian Papst, local excavation manager "The grave was partially bordered with sandstone and porphyry slabs."
A child's burial was found in a round pit in the immediate vicinity of the family grave. In addition to an arrowhead, the skeletal elements of two cattle are particularly striking. The archaeologists also discovered the grave of a man with a flint blade. There was a fourth grave; this one had already been robbed in antiquity. "The body was almost completely removed," said Friederich. "Only three ceramic vessels remained in the grave pit."
Traces of settlement are known from the hillside area. "It is not yet possible to say conclusively whether it is the associated settlement," said Friederich.
The excavations are being carried out in the run-up to the expansion of the SuedOstLink direct current power line. The approximately 150-kilometer-long section through Saxony-Anhalt will be archaeologically investigated until 2025. The entire route is around 540 kilometers long and stretches from Wolmirstedt near Magdeburg to the Isar site near Landshut in Bavaria.
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The discoveries in the Saale district of Saxony-Anhalt have shed light on the cultural practices of families during the Bell Beaker period, as evidenced by the 4,200-year-old family grave with a man and two children. This significant find will contribute to future archaeological research in the area, potentially revealing more about the lives and customs of the era's children.
Source: www.stern.de
