Dohnsen-Siddernhausen Dolmen
Encyclopedia
The dolmen on a low elevation between the villages of Dohnsen
and Siddernhausen near the town of Bergen in North Germany, was originally 500 m further north. It was excavated in 1977 and reconstructed in its present location. This dolmen
from the New Stone Age is believed to have been destroyed in the 17th or 18th century, because its large stones lay scattered on the fields. Several of the stones were sunk into the ground, others had been carried away. As a result a considerable amount of the original material has been lost.
Excavations revealed that the burial chamber originally comprised 20 to 24 upright stones
and about 8 capstones. It had a side entrance; this type of grave is known as a passage grave
. The open space between the uprights and the capstones was sealed in with dry stone
work. The entire grave was probably covered by an earth mound originally. This site may have served as a burial ground for several generations. The dead were laid on the floor of the burial chamber and prepared for the afterlife by being buried with their traditional jewellery (Trachtenschmuck), earthenware jars and everyday implements.
Dohnsen
Dohnsen is a village administered by the Lower Saxon town of Bergen in northern Celle district on the Lüneburg Heath in North Germany. It lies east of Bergen and has 857 inhabitants .- History :...
and Siddernhausen near the town of Bergen in North Germany, was originally 500 m further north. It was excavated in 1977 and reconstructed in its present location. This dolmen
Dolmen
A dolmen—also known as a portal tomb, portal grave, dolmain , cromlech , anta , Hünengrab/Hünenbett , Adamra , Ispun , Hunebed , dös , goindol or quoit—is a type of single-chamber megalithic tomb, usually consisting of...
from the New Stone Age is believed to have been destroyed in the 17th or 18th century, because its large stones lay scattered on the fields. Several of the stones were sunk into the ground, others had been carried away. As a result a considerable amount of the original material has been lost.
Excavations revealed that the burial chamber originally comprised 20 to 24 upright stones
Megalith
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. Megalithic describes structures made of such large stones, utilizing an interlocking system without the use of mortar or cement.The word 'megalith' comes from the Ancient...
and about 8 capstones. It had a side entrance; this type of grave is known as a passage grave
Passage grave
thumb|250px|right|A simple passage tomb in [[Carrowmore]] near [[Sligo]] in IrelandA passage grave or passage tomb consists of a narrow passage made of large stones and one or multiple burial chambers covered in earth or stone. Megaliths are usually used in the construction of passage tombs, which...
. The open space between the uprights and the capstones was sealed in with dry stone
Dry stone
Dry stone is a building method by which structures are constructed from stones without any mortar to bind them together. Dry stone structures are stable because of their unique construction method, which is characterized by the presence of a load-bearing facade of carefully selected interlocking...
work. The entire grave was probably covered by an earth mound originally. This site may have served as a burial ground for several generations. The dead were laid on the floor of the burial chamber and prepared for the afterlife by being buried with their traditional jewellery (Trachtenschmuck), earthenware jars and everyday implements.
Source
- Infotafel des Instituts für Denkmalpflege - Außenstelle Lüneburg - in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Landkreis Celle