THE SMART NEWS SOURCE | Feb 10 2010 01:27 | LAST UPDATED Feb 10 2010 01:27

ADVERTISE WITH US | CONTACT US | STORY TIP-OFFS | M&G NEWSLETTER

News \| World \| Europe

Mutilated Bronze Age lord found in Germany

THOMAS SCHOENE | HALLE, GERMANY - May 30 2005 17:23

0 comments | Post your comment

Archaeologists have discovered the skeletons of a lord and his retainers in a burial mound at Germany's most celebrated Bronze Age site.

Archaeologist Olaf Schroeder said the intact, 4 200-year-old mound was one of at least eight "barrows" within view of the ancient holy site that yielded the 3 600-year-old Nebra celestial disc, a bronze and gold depiction of the heavens, in 1999.

Government archaeologists began excavating the wooded area after being tipped off that treasure-hunters were digging over the area in search of gold. The first find was the skeleton of a sentry just inside the entrance to the grave.

Schroeder, who is based in the nearby city of Halle, said: "We kept on digging. Deep in the barrow, we found the Bronze Age burial chamber. It was two metres square and the roof had sagged to about half-a-metre high. It was fully lined with sandstone slabs.

"In the middle lay the lord, but his upper body and legs were missing. There was a precious bronze knife and a bronze needle next to him, and the remains of his court lay in a circle round him. The skulls were deformed. These people had died violently.

"They were put to death with a blunt instrument. Three were children, aged four, five and 10," the archaeologist added. The eldest child, a girl, still had her spiral-shaped bronze earrings lying by her skull.

The tomb was dated to 3 000 years ago, making it much newer than the mound itself.

Schroeder said retainers of Bronze Age lords expected to be buried with their master.

"It was just like in Egypt. They had to follow him to the death. But instead of pyramids, our ancestors built monumental graves of earth and sandstone slabs," he said.

CONTINUES BELOW

An archaeological park is to be built in the Nebra area, in eastern Germany, to inform visitors about the mysterious culture, which is believed to have lived from farming and to have traded with other parts of the ancient world.

The Nebra disc is believed to be the world's oldest surviving star map. -- Sapa-DPA

TOPICS IN THIS ARTICLE

Places

Halle

Comments

You must be logged in to comment. Log in or sign up to comment

click here to log in

M&G Online Comment Guidelines In Brief

No hate speech;
No racist, sexist or homophobic remarks;
Keep it short;
Keep it on topic;
Show respect to all;
We reserve the right to remove or delete any comment without notice or reason.

Click here for the full Comment Guidelines

Advertising Links

Click hereÖ

Your M&G Online

Follow the Mail & Guardian on Twitter!

Direct message us on our mailandguardian account to chat to the M&G Online team.


		THIS WEEK'S PAPER Subscribe Subs promotions Get digital edition

Advertising links

OUDE MEESTER INSURANCE JUNCTION PROPERTY FOR SALE INTERNET SOLUTIONS COMPAQ LAPTOPS	MAP SEARCH HOLIDAY FINDER BID OR BUY INSURANCE YOU CAN TRUST

Mutilated Bronze Age lord found in Germany

Places

M&G Online Comment Guidelines In Brief

Your M&G Online

Advertisements

Advertising links