Mario Küßner | Thüringisches Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie (original) (raw)
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Katalog der endneolithischen und frühbronzezeitlichen Hausgrundrisse in Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt u... more Katalog der endneolithischen und frühbronzezeitlichen Hausgrundrisse in Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt und Thüringen.
Book by Mario Küßner
Die späte Altsteinzeit im Einzugsgebiet der Saale. Untersuchungen an ausgewählten Fundstellen., 2009
Papers by Mario Küßner
Aus dem Dunkel der Vorzeit. Altenburgs prähistorische Sammlung in neuem Licht. Mitteilungen GAGO, Sonderband 5, 2024
The gold looped rings (Noppenringe) from Altenburg - remarkable Early Bronze Age finds in a speci... more The gold looped rings (Noppenringe) from Altenburg - remarkable Early Bronze Age finds in a special context.
Two looped rings (Noppenringe), two eyelet pins and a small handleless cup form the inventory of a single pit from the Únětice culture on the Lerchenberg in Altenburg (Thuringia). This little-known feature, which was excavated as early as 1928, has so far been referred to as a grave. In this contribution, it is reclassified as a hoard. The two rings are considered in the context of all nine sites with gold looped rings in central Germany. Far-reaching contacts and the exchange of objects of particular value across the European continent as early as around 4,000 years ago can be recognised. The presumed signs of a leader in the EBA rank society of a chiefdom date stage A2a, around 2000 to 1750 BC.
Mitteldeutsches Jahrbuch für Kultur und Geschichte, 2024
This short paper presents the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of Thuringia in Weimar as pa... more This short paper presents the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of Thuringia in Weimar as part of the Archaeological State Museum of Thuringia.
(Im)mobiles ? Circulation, échanges des objets et des idées, mobilités, stabilités des personnes et des groupes durant le Pré- et Protohistoire en Europe occidentale, Troisième rencontres Nord-Sud de Préhistoire récente, Lyon, 28 novembre-1er décembre 2018, S. 295-312., 2023
In the last few years, a series of discoveries from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in ce... more In the last few years, a series of discoveries from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in central Germany has transformed the understanding of this period.The rich grave of the Bell Beaker Groups of Apfelstädt (Gotha County) and the discovery of graves and settlements in Leubingen and Dermsdorf (Sömmerda County) in Thuringia are indicative of long-distance relationships. The rich grave of Apfelstädt (Gotha County) and the discovery of graves and settlements in Leubingen and Dermsdorf (Sömmerda County) in Thuringia are indicative of long-distance relationships. The Apfelstädt burial site yielded, among other things, two Central European-type hair ornaments. These objects, as well as the basket ornaments known from the Atlantic region, which were interpreted as a distinctive feature of the social elite, are relevant to the entire Bell Beaker complex. In the course of the Unétice culture, also the small region of Leubingen and Dermsdorf developed long-distance relations with the parts of Lake Geneva, Brittany and the British Isles. The cultural development in Central Germany and the integration of this region into the European context of the second half of the 3rd and the first half of the 2nd millennium B.C. must take into account these relationships with both Bell Beaker groups and Unétice culture.
Auf den Spuren alter Kulturen III, 2023
The chapter is a popular scientific outline of the Early Bronze Age sites in the Thuringian regio... more The chapter is a popular scientific outline of the Early Bronze Age sites in the Thuringian region around Leubingen and Dermsdorf and their significance for research into the Early Bronze Age social structure in the Central European low mountain foothills.
Neue Ausgrabungen und Funde in Thüringen, Heft 11 / 2020-2021, 2023
A newly discovered small cemetery of the younger Bell Beaker Culture near Erfurt in Central Germa... more A newly discovered small cemetery of the younger Bell Beaker Culture near Erfurt in Central Germany is presented. A total of eleven graves of the Bell Beaker Culture are present, three of which are assigned only on the basis of their location in the two grave groups and the 14 C-dates. The others contain partly quite numerous characteristic grave goods.
So far unique in the Bell Beaker Culture is the evidence of the covering of a buried person with a textile. The covering of the deceased, presumably with a bast mat, recognized in feature 11, furthermore opens a rare insight into what happened at the open grave.
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 2022
The wealth of settlement evidence has supposed a decisive difference between prehistoric archaeol... more The wealth of settlement evidence has supposed a decisive difference between prehistoric archaeology of the Mediterranean compared to that of Central Europe. This situation has changed substantially during recent years due to large scale rescue excavations carried out in central and eastern Germany. Individual houses as well as large settlement complexes have been systematically recorded and can now be dated to the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. The catalogue of all ground plans discovered up to 2019 in the federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia has recently been published as a supplementary volume of the proceedings of the conference 'Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Settlement Archaeology', held in Halle (Saale) in October 2018. Based on the geographical distribution, shape, size, orientation, and dating of the more than 240 building ground plans, the present study examines the architecture and settlement development of the Corded Ware and Bell Beaker communities, as well as of the Únětice complex, between the rivers Saale and Elbe. This analysis offers new insight into the way of life of the first full metalworking societies of central Germany from the 3rd and first half of the 2nd millennium BCE, which so far have mainly been approached through their outstanding, but numerically limited, funerary remains and hoards.
Revue du Nord, Hors-série n°29, 2021
En Allemagne centrale, jusqu’aux années 1990, le début de l’Âge du Bronze, comme la fin du Néolit... more En Allemagne centrale, jusqu’aux années 1990, le
début de l’Âge du Bronze, comme la fin du
Néolithique, étaient presque exclusivement connus,
par des tombes et des fosses isolées: les plans de bâtiments,
les objets spécifiques de l’habitat et les infrastructures
manquaient. La situation a fondamentalement changé avec les
fouilles qui ont permis pour la première fois
dans les années 1990 de mettre au jour des plans de
maisons de la culture d’Unétice. Depuis, les bâtiments,
les habitats et le modèle d’occupation sont
devenus mieux connus et nous proposons ici un
aperçu des recherches actuelles et des résultats obtenus
ces 25 dernières années en Saxe, Saxe-Anhalt et
Thuringe.
Risch, R., Friederich, S., Küßner, M. & Meller, H. (2021), Die Entwicklung und Struktur des Siedlungswesens zwischen dem Endneolithikum und der frühen Bronzezeit in Mitteleuropa, in Meller, H. et al. (eds.). Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Settlement Archaeology. Halle 20(3), 2021
The wealth of settlement evidence has supposed a decisive difference between prehistoric archaeol... more The wealth of settlement evidence has supposed a decisive difference between prehistoric archaeology of the Mediterranean compared to that of Central and Northern Europe. The publication series »Settlement Archeology of the End Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age«, which resulted out of the 11th Archaeological Conference of Central Germany in 2018 aims to close this gap, at least in part. In the third and last volume presented here, all known groundplans from the third millennium and first half of the second millennium BC in the states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia are systematically presented as a catalogue. Based on the geographical distribution, shape, size, orientation, and dating of the more than 240 building floor plans, the settlement patterns, and the architecture of the Corded Ware, Bell Beaker, and Aunjetitz Culture are examined in this study. These results decisively expand our insight into the
way of life of the first metalworking societies of Central Germany.
Science, 2021
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been infecting humans for millennia and remains a global health probl... more Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been infecting humans for millennia and remains a global health problem, but its past diversity and dispersal routes are largely unknown. We generated HBV genomic data from 137 Eurasians and Native Americans dated between ~10,500 and ~400 years ago. We date the most recent common ancestor of all HBV lineages to between ~20,000 and 12,000 years ago, with the virus present in European and South American hunter-gatherers during the early Holocene. After the European Neolithic transition, Mesolithic HBV strains were replaced by a lineage likely disseminated by early farmers that prevailed throughout western Eurasia for ~4000 years, declining around the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. The only remnant of this prehistoric HBV diversity is the rare genotype G, which appears to have reemerged during the HIV pandemic.
Heimat Thüringen, 2020
Discoveries and developments at the Leubingen Tumulus. The tumulus and its surroundings. This pa... more Discoveries and developments at the Leubingen Tumulus. The tumulus and its surroundings.
This paper focuses on the famous Leubingen Tumulus, its construction and the implications of the central burial. As a small preliminary report, the most important results of the investigations of recent years at the foot of the Tumulus (diameter more than 48,5 m) and in the surrounding area are listed, including the existence of remains of a second small burial mound (diameter 12 m) that was, according to the finds, considerably younger in the Bronze age.
In the second part, the redesign of the surrounding area, the establishment of a "time travel trail" and an archaeological presentation in the context of the "Leubinger Fürstenhügel" rest stop on the A 71 motorway are presented.
Mitteilungen des Vereins für die Geschichte und Altertumskunde von Erfurt, 2020
The paper presents a halberd that was recently found on the outskirts of Erfurt on the site of an... more The paper presents a halberd that was recently found on the outskirts of Erfurt on the site of an Early Bronze Age settlement. It is the westernmost specimen of a type otherwise widespread in East Germany, Poland and Lithuania.
In: Sczech, K., Stadtarchäologischer Bericht über das Jahr 2019
Siedlungsarchäologie des Endneolithikums und der frühen Bronzezeit/ Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Settlement Archaeology, 2019
Dwellings and settlements in Thuringia from the Final Neolithic period and the Early Bronze Age b... more Dwellings and settlements in Thuringia from the Final Neolithic period and the Early Bronze Age between 2500 and 1500 BC
The millennium during which the transition from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age took place is very well represented in Thuringia, by both finds and features. The Final Neolithic and to the Early Bronze Age are qually represented in terms of burials, but the same cannot be said for settlements. Only three dozen settlements from the Corded Ware and Bell Beaker Cultures have so far been found, many of which are not,
in fact, substantiated; the paper provides a summary of these.
The distribution of the sites shows that the physiogeographical requirements of the Corded Ware and Bell Beaker populations were similar. The Únětice settlements, on the other hand, are much more numerous. The 261 substantiated settlement sites allow us to draw concrete conclusions with regard to settlement behaviours of the Únětice Culture population. Since burials and settlements were obviously located near each other at the time, with hoards and isolated finds contributing further to the density of the archaeological record, the authors have been able to carry out a detailed analysis of the layout of the settlements, the areas that were settled and the settlement progress. The paper explores three microregions in detail with a particular emphasis on settlement-geographical aspects. As expected, environmental aspects such as soil quality and climatic conditions were revealed as the dominant factors with regard to the choice of location. The seeking out of black-earth soils in non-waterlogged locations favoured by a warm climate suggests an economic focus on crop cultivation. The year-round availability of water also played a major
role. Of lesser importance in the choice of location was the availability of as varied a range of natural resources – wetlands and forests – as possible. However, both ease of access and various social factors, which in some regions led to an increased settlement density, resulted in a picture which is much more multifaceted in its detail.
The settlement at Schloßvippach in the Sömmerda district is a good example of the typical internal structure of these settlements. Located on the banks of a small stream, the site consisted of a settlement, a cemetery, a ritual area and infrastructural elements such as paths and wells. Other settlements with more fragmented overall pictures can be added here and provide evidence of the existence of isolated farmsteads
as well as hamlet-like settlements.
Ground-plans of Corded Ware houses at Hardisleben, Sömmerda district. Corded Ware settlement s... more Ground-plans of Corded Ware houses at Hardisleben, Sömmerda district.
Corded Ware settlement sites in Thuringia had previously mainly yielded individual pits and surface finds. There were also a number of sites that had been examined a long time ago and were difficult to interpret. Remains of Corded Ware buildings have now come to light at Hardisleben, Sömmerda district, on the eastern edge of the Thuringian Basin. Moreover, numerous Corded Ware graves and individual finds have also been found throughout the district.
Despite a general absence of finds, four ground-plans – one excellently preserved, two identifiable in their overall appearance, and one at least partially preserved – can undoubtedly be confirmed as having belonged to a Corded Ware settlement. The completely preserved trapezoidal ground-plan had very closely set wall posts and presented many detailed parallels with Building 2 at Gimritz, Saale district, including the interior organisation. It was oriented north-north-west to south-south-east and measured 18.6 m in length; its north-north-western end was 10.2 m wide, and its south-south-eastern end 5.8 m wide. The wider end to the north-north-west had no recognisable post settings. Whilst the central section was four-aisled, the north and south sections had three aisles with just one bay each. The other three ground-plans were similarly designed but differed in some of the details and exhibited a poorer state of preservation. In Thuringia, this well-defined type of house probably co-existed with other kinds of dwellings. Buildings 1 and 2, were probably contemporary; they had the same orientation and faced onto a shared forecourt or path at the north-western gable end.
Siedlungsarchäologie des Endneolithikums und der frühen Bronzezeit/ Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Settlement Archaeology, 2019
A Large Únetice Culture building and an associated deposit from Dermsdorf, Sömmerda district – a ... more A Large Únetice Culture building and an associated deposit from Dermsdorf, Sömmerda district – a preliminary report
The eastern Thuringian Basin has a high density of Early Bronze Age settlement remains. An unusual Únětice Culturesettlement was discovered in 2o11 at Dermsdorf, a mere 3.6 km from the large barrow at Leubingen. The site yielded a solitary, large, three-aisled building measuring 44 m in length and 11 m in width. The closest Early Bronze Age features were found some 15o m away. Apart from its size of 488 m2, which is highly unusual in an Únětice Culture context, an associated
deposit of copper and bronze items placed in a vessel is also worth mentioning. A total of 98 axes and axe blanks as well as two halberd blanks had been deposited in a small pit directly in front of the north-eastern gable end of the building. The deposition in an easily identified location, which was probably emphasised by the presumed entrance nearby, and the composition of the implements, which were deposited in their function as weapons, suggest that this was a votive offering.
Apart from the absence of hafts, the blanks at least were not ready for use, which suggests that this was probably an intentional case of pars pro toto selection representing the bearers of the weapons, a jointly operating military unit.
The Dermsdorf feature is given further importance by its location near the Leubingen barrow with its diameter of more than 48 m and other potential large barrows within a micro-landscape, which was very densely settled in the Early Bronze Age. This micro-region was characterised by some very high-quality soils, a mild climate, proximity to salt and copper deposits and an extremely favourable location on various trans-European north-east to south-west and north to south communication routes.
The features from Dermsdorf and Leubingen, together with other unusual discoveries from the area, as well as its generally quite dense settlement pattern, warrant the identification of a political and administrative, and probably also ritual, centre of power for an hierarchically structured society which included at least local groups if not even coalitions of local groups. The society was led by certain singular individuals like the person who was buried in the Leubingen barrow. The territory that was controlled from here probably encompassed at least the eastern Thuringian Basin.
Katalog der endneolithischen und frühbronzezeitlichen Hausgrundrisse in Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt u... more Katalog der endneolithischen und frühbronzezeitlichen Hausgrundrisse in Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt und Thüringen.
Die späte Altsteinzeit im Einzugsgebiet der Saale. Untersuchungen an ausgewählten Fundstellen., 2009
Aus dem Dunkel der Vorzeit. Altenburgs prähistorische Sammlung in neuem Licht. Mitteilungen GAGO, Sonderband 5, 2024
The gold looped rings (Noppenringe) from Altenburg - remarkable Early Bronze Age finds in a speci... more The gold looped rings (Noppenringe) from Altenburg - remarkable Early Bronze Age finds in a special context.
Two looped rings (Noppenringe), two eyelet pins and a small handleless cup form the inventory of a single pit from the Únětice culture on the Lerchenberg in Altenburg (Thuringia). This little-known feature, which was excavated as early as 1928, has so far been referred to as a grave. In this contribution, it is reclassified as a hoard. The two rings are considered in the context of all nine sites with gold looped rings in central Germany. Far-reaching contacts and the exchange of objects of particular value across the European continent as early as around 4,000 years ago can be recognised. The presumed signs of a leader in the EBA rank society of a chiefdom date stage A2a, around 2000 to 1750 BC.
Mitteldeutsches Jahrbuch für Kultur und Geschichte, 2024
This short paper presents the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of Thuringia in Weimar as pa... more This short paper presents the Museum of Prehistory and Early History of Thuringia in Weimar as part of the Archaeological State Museum of Thuringia.
(Im)mobiles ? Circulation, échanges des objets et des idées, mobilités, stabilités des personnes et des groupes durant le Pré- et Protohistoire en Europe occidentale, Troisième rencontres Nord-Sud de Préhistoire récente, Lyon, 28 novembre-1er décembre 2018, S. 295-312., 2023
In the last few years, a series of discoveries from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in ce... more In the last few years, a series of discoveries from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age in central Germany has transformed the understanding of this period.The rich grave of the Bell Beaker Groups of Apfelstädt (Gotha County) and the discovery of graves and settlements in Leubingen and Dermsdorf (Sömmerda County) in Thuringia are indicative of long-distance relationships. The rich grave of Apfelstädt (Gotha County) and the discovery of graves and settlements in Leubingen and Dermsdorf (Sömmerda County) in Thuringia are indicative of long-distance relationships. The Apfelstädt burial site yielded, among other things, two Central European-type hair ornaments. These objects, as well as the basket ornaments known from the Atlantic region, which were interpreted as a distinctive feature of the social elite, are relevant to the entire Bell Beaker complex. In the course of the Unétice culture, also the small region of Leubingen and Dermsdorf developed long-distance relations with the parts of Lake Geneva, Brittany and the British Isles. The cultural development in Central Germany and the integration of this region into the European context of the second half of the 3rd and the first half of the 2nd millennium B.C. must take into account these relationships with both Bell Beaker groups and Unétice culture.
Auf den Spuren alter Kulturen III, 2023
The chapter is a popular scientific outline of the Early Bronze Age sites in the Thuringian regio... more The chapter is a popular scientific outline of the Early Bronze Age sites in the Thuringian region around Leubingen and Dermsdorf and their significance for research into the Early Bronze Age social structure in the Central European low mountain foothills.
Neue Ausgrabungen und Funde in Thüringen, Heft 11 / 2020-2021, 2023
A newly discovered small cemetery of the younger Bell Beaker Culture near Erfurt in Central Germa... more A newly discovered small cemetery of the younger Bell Beaker Culture near Erfurt in Central Germany is presented. A total of eleven graves of the Bell Beaker Culture are present, three of which are assigned only on the basis of their location in the two grave groups and the 14 C-dates. The others contain partly quite numerous characteristic grave goods.
So far unique in the Bell Beaker Culture is the evidence of the covering of a buried person with a textile. The covering of the deceased, presumably with a bast mat, recognized in feature 11, furthermore opens a rare insight into what happened at the open grave.
Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society, 2022
The wealth of settlement evidence has supposed a decisive difference between prehistoric archaeol... more The wealth of settlement evidence has supposed a decisive difference between prehistoric archaeology of the Mediterranean compared to that of Central Europe. This situation has changed substantially during recent years due to large scale rescue excavations carried out in central and eastern Germany. Individual houses as well as large settlement complexes have been systematically recorded and can now be dated to the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age. The catalogue of all ground plans discovered up to 2019 in the federal states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia has recently been published as a supplementary volume of the proceedings of the conference 'Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Settlement Archaeology', held in Halle (Saale) in October 2018. Based on the geographical distribution, shape, size, orientation, and dating of the more than 240 building ground plans, the present study examines the architecture and settlement development of the Corded Ware and Bell Beaker communities, as well as of the Únětice complex, between the rivers Saale and Elbe. This analysis offers new insight into the way of life of the first full metalworking societies of central Germany from the 3rd and first half of the 2nd millennium BCE, which so far have mainly been approached through their outstanding, but numerically limited, funerary remains and hoards.
Revue du Nord, Hors-série n°29, 2021
En Allemagne centrale, jusqu’aux années 1990, le début de l’Âge du Bronze, comme la fin du Néolit... more En Allemagne centrale, jusqu’aux années 1990, le
début de l’Âge du Bronze, comme la fin du
Néolithique, étaient presque exclusivement connus,
par des tombes et des fosses isolées: les plans de bâtiments,
les objets spécifiques de l’habitat et les infrastructures
manquaient. La situation a fondamentalement changé avec les
fouilles qui ont permis pour la première fois
dans les années 1990 de mettre au jour des plans de
maisons de la culture d’Unétice. Depuis, les bâtiments,
les habitats et le modèle d’occupation sont
devenus mieux connus et nous proposons ici un
aperçu des recherches actuelles et des résultats obtenus
ces 25 dernières années en Saxe, Saxe-Anhalt et
Thuringe.
Risch, R., Friederich, S., Küßner, M. & Meller, H. (2021), Die Entwicklung und Struktur des Siedlungswesens zwischen dem Endneolithikum und der frühen Bronzezeit in Mitteleuropa, in Meller, H. et al. (eds.). Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Settlement Archaeology. Halle 20(3), 2021
The wealth of settlement evidence has supposed a decisive difference between prehistoric archaeol... more The wealth of settlement evidence has supposed a decisive difference between prehistoric archaeology of the Mediterranean compared to that of Central and Northern Europe. The publication series »Settlement Archeology of the End Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age«, which resulted out of the 11th Archaeological Conference of Central Germany in 2018 aims to close this gap, at least in part. In the third and last volume presented here, all known groundplans from the third millennium and first half of the second millennium BC in the states of Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia are systematically presented as a catalogue. Based on the geographical distribution, shape, size, orientation, and dating of the more than 240 building floor plans, the settlement patterns, and the architecture of the Corded Ware, Bell Beaker, and Aunjetitz Culture are examined in this study. These results decisively expand our insight into the
way of life of the first metalworking societies of Central Germany.
Science, 2021
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been infecting humans for millennia and remains a global health probl... more Hepatitis B virus (HBV) has been infecting humans for millennia and remains a global health problem, but its past diversity and dispersal routes are largely unknown. We generated HBV genomic data from 137 Eurasians and Native Americans dated between ~10,500 and ~400 years ago. We date the most recent common ancestor of all HBV lineages to between ~20,000 and 12,000 years ago, with the virus present in European and South American hunter-gatherers during the early Holocene. After the European Neolithic transition, Mesolithic HBV strains were replaced by a lineage likely disseminated by early farmers that prevailed throughout western Eurasia for ~4000 years, declining around the end of the 2nd millennium BCE. The only remnant of this prehistoric HBV diversity is the rare genotype G, which appears to have reemerged during the HIV pandemic.
Heimat Thüringen, 2020
Discoveries and developments at the Leubingen Tumulus. The tumulus and its surroundings. This pa... more Discoveries and developments at the Leubingen Tumulus. The tumulus and its surroundings.
This paper focuses on the famous Leubingen Tumulus, its construction and the implications of the central burial. As a small preliminary report, the most important results of the investigations of recent years at the foot of the Tumulus (diameter more than 48,5 m) and in the surrounding area are listed, including the existence of remains of a second small burial mound (diameter 12 m) that was, according to the finds, considerably younger in the Bronze age.
In the second part, the redesign of the surrounding area, the establishment of a "time travel trail" and an archaeological presentation in the context of the "Leubinger Fürstenhügel" rest stop on the A 71 motorway are presented.
Mitteilungen des Vereins für die Geschichte und Altertumskunde von Erfurt, 2020
The paper presents a halberd that was recently found on the outskirts of Erfurt on the site of an... more The paper presents a halberd that was recently found on the outskirts of Erfurt on the site of an Early Bronze Age settlement. It is the westernmost specimen of a type otherwise widespread in East Germany, Poland and Lithuania.
In: Sczech, K., Stadtarchäologischer Bericht über das Jahr 2019
Siedlungsarchäologie des Endneolithikums und der frühen Bronzezeit/ Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Settlement Archaeology, 2019
Dwellings and settlements in Thuringia from the Final Neolithic period and the Early Bronze Age b... more Dwellings and settlements in Thuringia from the Final Neolithic period and the Early Bronze Age between 2500 and 1500 BC
The millennium during which the transition from the Neolithic period to the Bronze Age took place is very well represented in Thuringia, by both finds and features. The Final Neolithic and to the Early Bronze Age are qually represented in terms of burials, but the same cannot be said for settlements. Only three dozen settlements from the Corded Ware and Bell Beaker Cultures have so far been found, many of which are not,
in fact, substantiated; the paper provides a summary of these.
The distribution of the sites shows that the physiogeographical requirements of the Corded Ware and Bell Beaker populations were similar. The Únětice settlements, on the other hand, are much more numerous. The 261 substantiated settlement sites allow us to draw concrete conclusions with regard to settlement behaviours of the Únětice Culture population. Since burials and settlements were obviously located near each other at the time, with hoards and isolated finds contributing further to the density of the archaeological record, the authors have been able to carry out a detailed analysis of the layout of the settlements, the areas that were settled and the settlement progress. The paper explores three microregions in detail with a particular emphasis on settlement-geographical aspects. As expected, environmental aspects such as soil quality and climatic conditions were revealed as the dominant factors with regard to the choice of location. The seeking out of black-earth soils in non-waterlogged locations favoured by a warm climate suggests an economic focus on crop cultivation. The year-round availability of water also played a major
role. Of lesser importance in the choice of location was the availability of as varied a range of natural resources – wetlands and forests – as possible. However, both ease of access and various social factors, which in some regions led to an increased settlement density, resulted in a picture which is much more multifaceted in its detail.
The settlement at Schloßvippach in the Sömmerda district is a good example of the typical internal structure of these settlements. Located on the banks of a small stream, the site consisted of a settlement, a cemetery, a ritual area and infrastructural elements such as paths and wells. Other settlements with more fragmented overall pictures can be added here and provide evidence of the existence of isolated farmsteads
as well as hamlet-like settlements.
Ground-plans of Corded Ware houses at Hardisleben, Sömmerda district. Corded Ware settlement s... more Ground-plans of Corded Ware houses at Hardisleben, Sömmerda district.
Corded Ware settlement sites in Thuringia had previously mainly yielded individual pits and surface finds. There were also a number of sites that had been examined a long time ago and were difficult to interpret. Remains of Corded Ware buildings have now come to light at Hardisleben, Sömmerda district, on the eastern edge of the Thuringian Basin. Moreover, numerous Corded Ware graves and individual finds have also been found throughout the district.
Despite a general absence of finds, four ground-plans – one excellently preserved, two identifiable in their overall appearance, and one at least partially preserved – can undoubtedly be confirmed as having belonged to a Corded Ware settlement. The completely preserved trapezoidal ground-plan had very closely set wall posts and presented many detailed parallels with Building 2 at Gimritz, Saale district, including the interior organisation. It was oriented north-north-west to south-south-east and measured 18.6 m in length; its north-north-western end was 10.2 m wide, and its south-south-eastern end 5.8 m wide. The wider end to the north-north-west had no recognisable post settings. Whilst the central section was four-aisled, the north and south sections had three aisles with just one bay each. The other three ground-plans were similarly designed but differed in some of the details and exhibited a poorer state of preservation. In Thuringia, this well-defined type of house probably co-existed with other kinds of dwellings. Buildings 1 and 2, were probably contemporary; they had the same orientation and faced onto a shared forecourt or path at the north-western gable end.
Siedlungsarchäologie des Endneolithikums und der frühen Bronzezeit/ Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age Settlement Archaeology, 2019
A Large Únetice Culture building and an associated deposit from Dermsdorf, Sömmerda district – a ... more A Large Únetice Culture building and an associated deposit from Dermsdorf, Sömmerda district – a preliminary report
The eastern Thuringian Basin has a high density of Early Bronze Age settlement remains. An unusual Únětice Culturesettlement was discovered in 2o11 at Dermsdorf, a mere 3.6 km from the large barrow at Leubingen. The site yielded a solitary, large, three-aisled building measuring 44 m in length and 11 m in width. The closest Early Bronze Age features were found some 15o m away. Apart from its size of 488 m2, which is highly unusual in an Únětice Culture context, an associated
deposit of copper and bronze items placed in a vessel is also worth mentioning. A total of 98 axes and axe blanks as well as two halberd blanks had been deposited in a small pit directly in front of the north-eastern gable end of the building. The deposition in an easily identified location, which was probably emphasised by the presumed entrance nearby, and the composition of the implements, which were deposited in their function as weapons, suggest that this was a votive offering.
Apart from the absence of hafts, the blanks at least were not ready for use, which suggests that this was probably an intentional case of pars pro toto selection representing the bearers of the weapons, a jointly operating military unit.
The Dermsdorf feature is given further importance by its location near the Leubingen barrow with its diameter of more than 48 m and other potential large barrows within a micro-landscape, which was very densely settled in the Early Bronze Age. This micro-region was characterised by some very high-quality soils, a mild climate, proximity to salt and copper deposits and an extremely favourable location on various trans-European north-east to south-west and north to south communication routes.
The features from Dermsdorf and Leubingen, together with other unusual discoveries from the area, as well as its generally quite dense settlement pattern, warrant the identification of a political and administrative, and probably also ritual, centre of power for an hierarchically structured society which included at least local groups if not even coalitions of local groups. The society was led by certain singular individuals like the person who was buried in the Leubingen barrow. The territory that was controlled from here probably encompassed at least the eastern Thuringian Basin.
Bewegte Zeiten: Archäologie in Deutschland, 2018
Neolithic flint mining near Artern (Thuringia) - In the Artern mining areal were pits and small m... more Neolithic flint mining near Artern (Thuringia) - In the Artern mining areal were pits and small mine shafts (up to 5m depth). Cores, flakes and some blades are indications for production of blades as blanks for tools.
Das Eichsfeld. Eine landeskundliche Bestandsaufnahme, 2018
Pre- and protohistory of the Thuringian Eichsfeld - The chapter deals with the prehistoric and ea... more Pre- and protohistory of the Thuringian Eichsfeld - The chapter deals with the prehistoric and early historical settlement of the Eichsfeld in northern Thuringia. Despite the natural disadvantages (soils, relief, climate) compared to surrounding areas, there are many evidences of prehistoric and medieval settlement. This is mainly due to traffic-geographical reasons. The valleys of the Leine and Wipper as well as the valleys of Hahle and Unstrut formed excellent traffic connections from west to east and from south to north in the area between Harz and Hainich. This chapter describes the settlement from its beginnings to the Middle Ages.
Das Blatt, 2018
At Udersleben in Thuringia a Neolithic earthwork has been discovered. The site has dimensions of ... more At Udersleben in Thuringia a Neolithic earthwork has been discovered. The site has dimensions of approximately 500 m (SW-NE) x 300 m (NW-SE) and consists of a double wall-ditch system with passages.
Neolithic miners in northern Thuringia - Remnants of mining on flint dating back to the fourth mi... more Neolithic miners in northern Thuringia - Remnants of mining on flint dating back to the fourth millennium BC were discovered at Artern in Thuringia in 2015. There were pits and small mine shafts (up to 5m depth). Cores, flakes and some blades are indications for production of blades as blanks for tools. This Neolithic mining served to supply the surrounding region. Of particular importance is the preservation of organic matter. So tools and also human remains of at least 12 individuals were recovered from the shafts.
Bien qu’ en Allemagne centrale en général les preuves récentes de bâtiments datent du début de l’... more Bien qu’ en Allemagne centrale en général les preuves récentes de bâtiments datent du début de l’âge du bronze soient devenues plus connues ces dernières années, les bâtiments du néolithiques final restent exceptionnelles. Ces quelques évidences ne permettent que quelques conclusions sur les occupations du néolithique final. Toutes les maisons de l`âge du bronze ancien sont bâtiments en poteaux de taille moyenne à grande. Pour la culture d’Unétice du début de l'âge du bronze, les preuves existantes de la structure des fermes individuelles et l’organisation de l’espace dans les habitats sont présentées. Ici, en particulier, les fouilles effectuées à Schlossvippach et Artern ont fourni des résultats très importants. En comparaison interrégionale, il existe des similitudes dans la structure: les petites habitats agricoles ne sont utilisées que pour quelques générations (comme indiquent aussi les cimetières associés). Il y avait des fermes individuelles et des hameaux ouverts dans des distances adaptées aux conditions naturelles. Une infrastructure simple est prouvé, par exemple en forme de lieux de travail, sentiers/ chemins et puits. Quelques centres sont relativement peuplées densemént et á longue durée. Ici, le pouvoir économique et politique était concentré.
La Thuringe en Allemagne centrale est prédestinée – par son emplacement entre les montagnes Harz ... more La Thuringe en Allemagne centrale est prédestinée – par son emplacement entre les montagnes Harz dans le nord-ouest et la Forêt de Thuringe dans le Sud – à être une zone de transit des idées et des personnes entre l'ouest/sud-ouest et l’est/nord-est et l'est d’une part, et entre le sud et le nord d'autre part. À cet égard, au cours des dernières années, plusieurs découvertes importantes ont été faites pour le Néolithique final et l'Âge du Bronze ancien. À titre d’exemple, l’évolution culturelle en Thuringe et l’intégration de cette région dans le contexte européen de la seconde moitié du troisième et de la première moitié du deuxième millénaire av. J.-C. doivent être traités en relation avec deux complexes culturels extrêmement importants. Il s'agit de la sépulture de la culture campaniforme d'Apfelstädt et ses environs et du grand bâtiment avec dépôt de bronze de Dermsdorf (comté Sömmerda) à proximité du grand tumulus de Leubingen datant de l'Âge du Bronze ancien.
La tombe d'Apfelstädt est située à l'extrémité orientale d'une vaste zone funéraire qui regroupe des tombes de la Culture de la céramique Cordée et de la Culture campaniforme, mais isolée des autres sépultures du Néolithique final. Dans la petite chambre en bois d'Apfelstädt un homme de 35 à 50 ans avait été enterré en position accroupie et orienté nord-sud. Son équipement comprenait un gobelet campaniforme épimaritime et un autre grand gobelet. Il y avait aussi un protège-bras (« brassard d’archer »), cinq pointes de flèches en silex et deux autres objets en silex. Les découvertes les plus inhabituelles sont deux anneaux rubanés d'électrum d'un diamètre de 15 à 16 mm. De tels anneaux, qui indiquent l’existence de relations á longue distance, existent en petit nombre dans l’aire de répartition du Campaniforme : des objets bien comparables sont attestés en Suisse, en Bohême et en Moravie. L'emplacement de la tombe sur la bordure sud de la zone de peuplement néolithique aux contreforts de la forêt de Thuringe n'est pas une coïncidence. En ce lieu, l’itinéraire transeuropéen ouest-est rencontre les chemins des cols au-dessus de la forêt de Thuringe. Le guerrier (et vraisemblablement le chef d’un clan) entretenait de nombreux liens avec le sud et le sud-est, mais aussi avec l'ouest. Il était certainement très mobile. Avant sa mort, lui et son groupe semblaient avoir contrôlé les croisements de route, en relation avec un contrôle de l’échange des métaux. Quelques-unes des tombes similaires se trouvent isolées dans la zone de répartition de la Culture campaniforme.
Près de 40 km plus au nord-est, le développement commencé à la fin du Néolithique aboutit au Bronze ancien à l'expansion des relations de grande distances et à la concentration du pouvoir dans la région autour de Leubingen et Dermsdorf. De nouveaux résultats viennent d’être obtenus pour la construction du grand tumulus de Leubingen, qui contenait la « tombe princière » du Bronze ancien connue depuis longtemps. En outre, á une distance de seulement 3,5 km, un bâtiment extraordinaire a été révélé. Probablement, le très grand bâtiment (44 m x 11 m) remplissait plusieurs fonctions : résidence, lieu de culte et place de réunion. Dans une fosse devant son pignon oriental se trouvait un dépôt de bronze, composé de 100 objets. Certaines des 98 haches contenues viennent du territoire de la Suisse ou de l'est de la France selon la détermination typologique et sur la base de la teneur en éléments traces. Bien que quelques haches aient été usées, le contexte des deux pièces brutes des hallebardes indique que le trésor est composé d’armes. Dans le voisinage du tumulus de Leubingen et du bâtiment de Dermsdorf, il existe une véritable concentration de nombreux autres sites datant de l'âge du Bronze ancien. Ce lieu était un carrefour qui contrôlait l'échange des biens, en particulier les métaux, l'ambre et le sel. La prospérité de la région á la fin du Néolithique et surtout au début de l’Age du Bronze est due, entre autres, à son emplacement dans les réseaux à longue distance.
The Dermsdorf longhouse and the small region near Leubingen during the Unetice culture Many Fina... more The Dermsdorf longhouse and the small region near Leubingen during the Unetice culture
Many Final Neolithic and early Bronze Age sites, already known to a smaller extent but mostly newly discovered in central and northern Thuringia, have been analysed recently. An area measuring approx. 30 km² near the Leubinger large tumuli has been especially focused on. A total of seven, largely very extensive settlement areas have been excavated or are still being analysed in almost all extensive excavations made since 2006. Four of these sites produced clear evidence of ground plans of houses and corresponding graves as well as a burial ground with 32 individual graves in one case. There is evidence for activities in addition to rural subsistence farming.
Approx. 3.6 km to the northeast of the Leubinger Hügel a very large representative building with three isles facing west-southwest and east-northeast with a base area of approx. 44 m x 11 m and with a shelter located on the north-eastern gable end was discovered in direct connection in the Dermsdorf district. In addition, the longhouse situated on a little hill with visual reference to the Leubinger tumuli is dated independently based on a bronze awl as foundation deposits in the pit of the eastern corner post. An associated settlement, the edges of which have been identified only through a few pits so far, is located approx. 200 m to the east and south-east. In contrast to the north-eastern gable end, which has to be reconstructed as the portal side, the south-western gable end was hipped. To the west and partly under the building there is a Final Neolithic/Early Bronze Age group of graves with clear indications of a tumulus. We interpret the building as a central gathering place for a large community, with ritual and religious function and at the same time representative function as well as also as residential building for the upper echelons of society. Possibly, only parts of these functions were fulfilled; the different sizes of the space units formed by the cross bar suggests an irregular room division and use. The depository was established in a pit especially dug in the centre of the gable area on the north-eastern side. A total of 98 axe blades and two cast blanks for halberds with a total weight of 25 kg non-ferrous metal in a 30 cm high pot with roughened surface were found. The context of the cast blanks for halberds clearly indicates the intentional manifestation as weapons.
Different indications allow for a temporal classification of the Early Bronze Age population of the site between approx. 1,850 und 1,600 BC. We associated the existing concentration of power and wealth in addition to other aspects primarily with the conveniently situated position and the beneficial conditions for early agriculture.
Settlement and population in Thuringia between 2,500 and 1,500 BC Whilst new evidence of Early ... more Settlement and population in Thuringia between 2,500 and 1,500 BC
Whilst new evidence of Early Bronze Age houses in central and north Thuringia have become known in larger numbers during the past few years, records of Bell Beaker structures remain exceptional. These few records – with the exception of a small settlement in Hardisleben – do not allow for drawing a secured conclusion in respect of settlement structure. The existing records for the courtyard structure and the infrastructure within the settlements are presented for the Únětice culture. Convincing finds were produced especially during the excavations in the area of the Schloßvippach settlement in the Sömmerda district and Artern settlement in the Kyffhäuser region. A broad consistency can be determined in the national comparison with regard to the structure of the agriculturally characterised settlement areas and the corresponding burial grounds which were largely only used across a few generations. Then there were individual farmsteads which were not particularly protected and open hamlets at distances adapted to the natural conditions. A simple infrastructure, e.g. in the form of works areas and pathways, has been verified in the settlement areas.
Spatial and temporal overlaps of the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age cultures, such as Corded Ware, Bell Beaker and Únětice cultures in Thuringia, have also been variously verified and discussed in the past few decades. These observations are however still largely based on the analysis of grave finds. Whereas settlement structures of the Early Bronze Age are basically known by now, they are largely missing for the Bell Beaker culture and have yet been scarce for the Corded Ware culture. The comparative study of the geographic conditions of the Late Neolithic and early Bronze Age sites is therefore carried out as an example based on the site distribution in small regions of the Thuringian Basin and its peripheries. Due to the good state of evidence and different natural conditions we chose the Mühlhäuser Basin, the Goldene and the Diamantene Aue as well as the eastern Thuringian Basin. Even when aspects of research history are taken into account, a central concentration, including a corresponding periphery is evident in one case. Interchange commodities witness long periods of stable long-distance connections. There is also basic evidence for the distribution channels of raw material and finished goods as well as the prominent position of the region which was controlled by elites. As elsewhere, this development stops with the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age.
Corded Ware ground plans of Hardisleben (Sömmerda region) - Mainly individual pits and a quantity... more Corded Ware ground plans of Hardisleben (Sömmerda region) - Mainly individual pits and a quantity of surface finds of Corded Ware settlements have been known in Thuringia so far. Apart from these, there are only some settlement areas which are hard to document and were investigated a long time ago. However, remnants of Corded Ware buildings from Hardisleben at the eastern periphery of the Thuringian Basin have been found recently. Numerous Corded Ware graves and individual finds have long been verified in the district and the surrounding areas.
An excellently preserved posthole ground plan and other ground plan fragments leave no doubt about the affiliation with a Corded Ware settlement, despite a largely absence of finds. The complete trapezoid ground plan, well-preserved and with narrow studs, shows parallels to a building of Gimritz in the Saale district (Friederich/ Jarecki 2014), in every detail. It is oriented to the north-north-west and south-south-west, is 16.3 m long and the respective widths are 9.0 m and 6.25 m. The broader narrow end, which is oriented to the north-north-west, shows no obvious stake-defined structures. Whereas the central part has four aisles, a three-aisle part adjoins to the north and the south with only one bay. This well-defined house type probably existed in Thuringia in addition to other types of dwellings.
In all early Neolithic Thuringian sites with available anthropological data, spondylus artefacts ... more In all early Neolithic Thuringian sites with available anthropological data, spondylus artefacts are exclusively known from female or child burials.The critical approach to the topic, based on available archaeological and anthropological data from Thuringia, clearly
points to the necessity of caution regarding the adoption of exclusively archaeological
“sex estimations“, especially if they are based on information from regions far away.
This poster presents first results of our multidisciplinary geoarchaeological project in the uppe... more This poster presents first results of our multidisciplinary geoarchaeological project in the upper Unstrut River catchment and reveals evidence that
i) the area is colonized and cultivated quasi-continually since the Old Neolithic Period.
ii) the first farmers (Linear Pottery) built their settlement on the edge of a large marshy area with periodically still water conditions located between 3.5 and 4.5 m below the recent floodplain surface
iii) due to humid climate conditions the Unstrut floodplain showed seasonally open water surfaces, during the Early and Middle Bronze Age
iv) increased soil erosion started during the Iron Age at the earliest
v) in particular, modern land use caused severe soil erosion and floodplain aggradation in the Unstrut valley.
Im letzten Jahr gelang in Nordthüringen bei Artern/Unstrut der Nachweis eines Bergbaus auf Feuers... more Im letzten Jahr gelang in Nordthüringen bei Artern/Unstrut der Nachweis eines Bergbaus auf Feuerstein. Im Zuge einer Rettungsgrabung wurde ein Areal mit einer Ausdehnung von insgesamt 6,5 ha untersucht, nahe dessen nördlicher Grenze Geschiebemergel einer reliktisch erhaltenen Grundmoräne der Elsterkaltzeit anstehen. Etwa 550 hier befindliche Gruben, Grubenkomplexe und Schächte hatten sicher – oder sehr wahrscheinlich – eine Funktion bei der über längere Zeit betriebenen Gewinnung von Feuerstein. Neben stark kiesigen Bereichen liegen auch sandige und tonige Zonen vor, auf die mit unterschiedlichen Abbaustrategien reagiert worden ist. Während in den wenig bindigen Bereichen Kuhlen oder sogar Pingen angelegt worden sind, erfolgte der Abbau in den bindigen Bereichen in bis über fünf Meter tiefen und im Durchmesser etwa 0,80 m bis 1,20 m messenden Schächten. Erweiterungen im Sohlbereich sind nur in Ansätzen zu beobachten, waren aber auch nicht notwendig, da die gesuchten Feuersteinknollen relativ homogen im Moränenkörper verteilt sind. Die Schächte sind bis ca. einen Meter unter der alten Geländeoberfläche sehr schnell und vermutlich mit dem Aushub des nächsten Schachtes wieder verfüllt worden. Dafür spricht die ausgeprägte Bänderung des eingefüllten Materials. Die obersten Bereiche sind dagegen durch eine langsame Sedimentation mit humosem Material gekennzeichnet.
Zum Abbau benötigte Gerätschaften (aus organischen Materialien), wie sie auch andernorts im neolithischen Bergbau Verwendung fanden, konnten in geringem Umfang geborgen werden. Ein annähernd vollständiges Gezähe und einige kleine Fragmente bestehen aus Rothirschgeweih. Zudem liegen drei Rinderschulterblätter in verschiedener Erhaltung vor, die ausweislich der nachgewiesenen Gebrauchsspuren als Schaufeln verwendet worden sind. Lediglich aus einem Befund stammen während des Verfüllens mit eingebrachte Kerne, Klingen, Abschläge, Absplisse und Trümmer aus Feuerstein, welche die Erzeugung von Grundformen für die Geräteherstellung direkt am Abbau bezeugen.
In einigen der bisher näher untersuchten Gruben und Schächte fanden sich freie Skelettteile, Teilskelette und Skelette von etwa einem Dutzend Menschen. Bei den Toten handelt es sich nach erstem Augenschein um adulte bis mature und im Einzelfall senile Individuen beiderlei Geschlechtes. Die Lage und Haltung der Toten sowie fehlende Beigaben lassen reguläre Bestattungen wenig wahrscheinlich erscheinen. Verschiedene Szenarien sind vorstellbar, in deren Folge die Bergleute oder Dritte in den Abbauen verblieben.
Eine in eine Materialentnahmegrube eingebrachte Bestattung der (jüngeren) Baalberger Kultur ist der z.Z. älteste kulturell bestimmte Befund am Platz. Dagegen schneiden drei schnurkeramische Gräber Befunde des Feuersteinabbaus. Erste 14C-Datierungen an zwei Individuen aus einem Schacht weisen auf ein Alter zwischen 3350 und 3100 calBC hin.
Das Abbaufeld von Artern ist der erste dokumentierte Feuersteinbergbau in Thüringen. Zusammen mit dem etwa 25 km nordöstlich liegenden Feuersteinabbaufeld bei Helfta im südlichen Sachsen-Anhalt, das Ende 2013 identifiziert worden ist, weist es auf eine neu erkannte Abbauregion in Mitteldeutschland hin.
Trotz der großen Zahl endneolithischer Gräber in Thüringen erschien noch vor wenigen Jahren das B... more Trotz der großen Zahl endneolithischer Gräber in Thüringen erschien noch vor wenigen Jahren das Bestattungswesen einerseits der Schnurkeramischen Kultur und andererseits der Glockenbecherkultur jeweils einheitlich. Einfache Erdgräber, selten mit Holz- oder Steinarchitektur lagen als Einzelgräber oder Grabgruppen mit jeweils spezifischen Totenausrichtungen vor. Einzige Ausnahmen in Form komplizierterer Strukturen bildeten die schnurkeramischen „Totenhütten“. In den letzten zehn Jahren konnten Befunde aufgedeckt werden, die einen neuen Blick auf Riten und einen
(teils andauernden?) Kult an einzelnen Orten zulassen. Vorgestellt werden zunächst Gräber der Schnurkeramik, die einen Bezug zu „Vorfahren“ anzeigen. Ebenfalls in die Schnurkeramik gehört die
außergewöhnliche „Totenhütte“ von Apfelstädt, die als Kultbau über dem Grab einer wichtigen Persönlichkeit errichtet worden ist. Später sind hier wiederholt rituelle Handlungen vorgenommen worden. Die Gräber der Glockenbecherkultur orientieren sich häufig an schnurkeramischen Gräbergruppen und -feldern. Herausgehobene Einzelgräber, so wiederum in Apfelstädt, aber auch Gräberfelder, wie in Bielen, waren oberirdisch markiert. Das zuletzt genannte zweigeteilte Gräberfeld ist in einer über 2000 Jahre älteren stichbandkeramischen Kreisgrabenanlage angelegt worden. Offensichtlich war der Kreisgraben als sehr regelmäßige flache Eintiefung noch so markant, dass er
als Ort des Übermächtigen und vielleicht auch Eingang zum Jenseitigen aufgefasst worden ist.
