Line excavation near Zschernitz

The oldest burial

Although the Linear Pottery is the oldest culture that can be traced via settlement pits at the site, no graves from this culture were found in the route section. The oldest burial can be attributed to the Gartersleben culture (4500-4300 BC). The man was laid down in the usual sideways stool position for the time.

Image Source L. Steguweit, Foto ©LfA 2003.

Burials of the Middle Neolithic

The burials of two further individuals, also in a squatting position, date from the late Middle Neolithic (4000-3000 BC). The female deceased was probably over sixty years old and had an undecorated bowl with a funnel rim in her grave. The male skeleton was found directly beneath a pit house. Whether it was the home of the deceased's family, who wanted to keep him close to them, is unclear. A child's burial, which was covered by large pottery shards, can be assigned to the Salzmünder culture (3400-3000 BC).

Image Source L. Steguweit, Foto ©LfA 2003.

First copper

During the excavation in route section ZNT-08, the excavation team also came across two dead bodies from the Late Neolithic Corded Ware culture (2800-2200 BC). Men and women were buried by this culture with different funeral rites. The female burial is on the left and the male on the right. The latter is indicated as a warrior's grave by the addition of a stone axe. A further deceased person can also be assigned to this culture by means of a 14C date. However, her burial appears irregular, as her head was turned backwards, looking over her shoulder. Also of particular note is a very early find of metal for the time in Saxony: a small copper spiral, which was probably worn as an earring.

Image Source L. Steguweit, Foto ©LfA 2003.

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Special burials

Not all burials in Zschernitz were regular and reverent. One settlement pit contained a single skull, while another contained a complete skeleton in a twisted position. It belonged to a man of around 60 years of age, whose vertebrae showed pathological changes indicating a physical ailment. It is unclear why the dead man was apparently carelessly dumped in the pit and whether his illness could be the reason.

Image Source L. Steguweit, Foto ©LfA 2003.

Dog burial

The animal burials from Zschernitz ZNT-08 are a special feature. The first burial is that of an adult, approximately two-year-old female dog, which presumably died during complications during the birth of a litter. The bones of an unborn puppy were found between her legs. The muzzle of the bitch is also interesting, showing a healed fracture, as is often the case with herding dogs.

Image Source S. Gebhardt, Foto ©LfA 2004.

Possible animal sacrifice?

A calf and a five-month-old puppy were laid to rest in a burial pit. They were accompanied by a large stone, pottery and the vertebrae of an adult bovine. Small round holes are visible in the bones of the puppy's hind paws. As they appear very regular, it can be assumed that they were deliberately inflicted on the animal before or after death. The burial of the calf in particular meant a great sacrifice of meat for the people. The findings could be interpreted as a sacrifice.

Image Source L. Steguweit, Foto ©LfA 2004.