Bonstorf Barrows
Encyclopedia
The Bonstorf Barrows are the remains of a much larger barrow
cemetery on the Lüneburg Heath
in north Germany
dating to the late neolithic
or early bronze age. They are located east of the village of Bonstorf
, part of the municipality of Hermannsburg
in the Lower Saxon district of Celle. The site comprises six, closely packed burial mounds or barrows.
The largest barrow was located originally in a field, but due to its vulnerable location it was dug out in 1973 and reconstructed nearby. Of interest are the internal stones which were found in the burial mound. The barrow was surrounded by a stone circle.
Under the earth mound was a wooden chamber, in which a man had been buried in an east-west orientation. Grave items included an earthenware jar, a palstave
, a sword and bronze dagger.
On the northern perimeter of the mound a woman was interred on a stone bed. She wore two, seven-ribbed bangle
s and a headdress made of clusters of small, sheet bronze pipes. Furthermore a round bronze needle (Radnadel) lay on her chest. It is very likely that the woman had a personal relationship to the interred man.
The grave finds are characteristic of the old bronze age
(i.e. from about 1500 to 1200 B.C.) in the Lüneburg Heath
.
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
cemetery on the Lüneburg Heath
Lüneburg Heath
The Lüneburg Heath is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover, and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve...
in north Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
dating to the late neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
or early bronze age. They are located east of the village of Bonstorf
Bonstorf
Bonstorf is a village in the parish of Hermannsburg in the north of Celle district on the Lüneburg Heath in central Germany.Bonstorf lies about 3 km from Hermannsburg on the boundary with the district of Soltau-Fallingbostel and currently has about 530 inhabitants...
, part of the municipality of Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg
Hermannsburg is a municipality in the Celle district, in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is situated at the River Örtze, approx. 15 kilometers east of Bergen and 30 kilometers north of Celle.-Division of the municipality:...
in the Lower Saxon district of Celle. The site comprises six, closely packed burial mounds or barrows.
The largest barrow was located originally in a field, but due to its vulnerable location it was dug out in 1973 and reconstructed nearby. Of interest are the internal stones which were found in the burial mound. The barrow was surrounded by a stone circle.
Under the earth mound was a wooden chamber, in which a man had been buried in an east-west orientation. Grave items included an earthenware jar, a palstave
Palstave
A Palstave is a type of early bronze axe. It was common in the mid Bronze Age in north, western and south-western Europe. In the technical sense, although precise definitions differ, an axe is generally deemed to be a palstave if it is hafted by means of a forked wooden handle kept in place with...
, a sword and bronze dagger.
On the northern perimeter of the mound a woman was interred on a stone bed. She wore two, seven-ribbed bangle
Bangle
Bangles or churi are traditional ornaments worn mostly by South Asian women in India and Bangladesh, especially Hindus. It is tradition that the bride will try to wear as many small glass bangles as possible at her wedding and the honeymoon will end when the last bangle breaks...
s and a headdress made of clusters of small, sheet bronze pipes. Furthermore a round bronze needle (Radnadel) lay on her chest. It is very likely that the woman had a personal relationship to the interred man.
The grave finds are characteristic of the old bronze age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
(i.e. from about 1500 to 1200 B.C.) in the Lüneburg Heath
Lüneburg Heath
The Lüneburg Heath is a large area of heath, geest and woodland in northeastern part of the state of Lower Saxony in northern Germany. It forms part of the hinterland for the cities of Hamburg, Hanover, and Bremen and is named after the town of Lüneburg. Most of the area is a nature reserve...
.
Photos
Source
- E. L.Voss: Ein reichhaltiger Grabhügel der älteren Bronzezeit von Bonstorf, Kr. Celle 1975 S. 59-83