Neolithic settlements near Dobernitz
| Place: | Dobernitz (Stauchitz, Meissen) |
|---|---|
| Type: | Traces of settlement |
| Dating: | Early Neolithic | Linear Pottery | 5000 - 4500 BC. |
Description
The remains of a Neolithic settlement were discovered south-east of the village of Dobernitz in 1992 during an aerial survey by aerial archaeologist Otto Braasch. Based on the structures recognizable from the air, such as former post pits or wall graves, the building remains could be assigned to the Early Neolithic Linear Pottery culture and the subsequent Linear Pottery culture according to their construction method. In addition, another settlement site with Linear Pottery finds is located only approx. 550 m further south. Surface finds are so far only known from the latter site.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckThe northern site
The site is located just north of the loess-loam stage on the gravelly-loamy Mehltheuer-Stauchitzer plateau, which is covered by sandy loess and parabrown earth. The first Neolithic cultures that practiced agriculture and animal husbandry preferred to settle on loess loam. The terrain slopes slightly to the southwest towards the Angerbach stream, about 200 m away. Traces of up to six buildings can be found evenly distributed over an area of 100 x 130 meters. Their construction method characterizes them as houses of the late Linear Pottery and the Linear Pottery. It is known from comparable sites that the houses probably did not exist at the same time. Rather, one or two contemporaneous farmsteads can be assumed. When a building became dilapidated and the wood rotten, a new construction was started. Scientists currently assume an average useful life of 25 years before a new longhouse was erected in the immediate vicinity.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source P. de Vries, Foto ©LfA 2018.
A house finding
One very recognizable building has a floor plan of around 28 m. The entrance was probably on one of the long sides. There were triple rows of posts in the middle of the house. The distance between the posts was between 5 m and 6 m. However, only three of the original five rows are clearly visible in the aerial photograph. The distance between the individual posts in a row is around 2 m. In the north-west, the building measures up to 6 m wide and grows to a width of up to 7 m in the middle, resulting in a slightly bulbous shape on the long sides. A U-shaped wall trench, which was presumably reinforced with palisade walls at this end, can be seen at the north-western end. The less recognizable wall trenches, which framed the rows of posts on the long sides, were probably made of wattle and daub. Parallel to the walls, some shapeless pits are visible from which the clay was extracted. Numerous other pits bear witness to lively settlement activity at the site. However, no finds from this site are known to date.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Heynowski, Foto ©LfA 2018.
The southern site
The situation is different with an early Neolithic site located around 350 m south of the Angerbach stream on the boundary of the Gleina district. Several pottery finds, a fragment of rubbing stone and chunks of hut clay, which probably came to the surface when a settlement pit was plowed out, were found here. The pottery corresponds to the typical forms of Linear Pottery. The hut clay and the rubbing stone fragment in particular indicate another settlement. In the aerial photograph, however, individual pits are only faintly visible, which may be due to varying degrees of erosion.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source L. Gaiser, Plan ©LfA 2016.
Literature
Ronald Heynowski, Ein Dorf aus der Steinzeit. In: Regina Smolnik/Ronny Zienert (Hrsg.), Höhenflüge. Luftbilder und Archäologie in Sachsen (Dresden 2024) 42–43.
Note on monument protection
Archaeological monuments are protected by the Saxon Monument Protection Act. A permit under monument law is required for ground interventions or construction measures.
Permalink
https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/neolithic-settlements-near-dobernitz/
Citation
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie Reck, Neolithic settlements near Dobernitz. In: Landesamt für Archäologie Sachsen, Website archaeo | SN (11.04.2024). https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/neolithic-settlements-near-dobernitz/ (Stand: 14.08.2026)
