Trapezoidal graves from Roitzsch
| Place: | Roitzsch (Lommatzsch, Meißen) |
|---|---|
| Type: | Trapezoidal grave enclosure |
| Dating: | Middle Neolithic | Baalberg culture | 3800 - 3400 BC. |
Description
Close to Roitzsch near Lommatzsch, about twelve trapezoidal structures can be seen north of the old post road, which extend over a distance of 1300 m in a row from northwest to southeast. It can be assumed that in prehistoric times they were visible burial monuments above ground, which must also have been visible from the Mehltheuer ditch, located around 750 to 1300 m away. Both the tombs and the earthworks were built by the Middle Neolithic Baalberg culture. Together they were part of a Neolithic monumental landscape, which presumably had a special ritual significance in the imagination of the time.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckThe structure of the systems
The twelve burial monuments located to the north of the old post road were probably surrounded by a trapezoidal ditch, which served as the base for a palisade. The inner surface of the 10 to 20 m long burial monuments was probably filled with mounded earth, similar to a burial mound. Their striking architecture made them an impressive eye-catcher, which probably also made them a landmark in the landscape.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Heynowski, Foto ©LfA 2011.
Street of Trapezoids
In some places, the tombs were built very close together, only 6 to 10 meters apart. In two cases, there are two parallel trapezoids in the row, while a third pair is only slightly offset from each other. Between others there are distances of 100 to 300 m, which roughly divides the row of graves into three groups. The line is intersected twice by stream valleys. In the vicinity of the trapezoids, numerous pits can be made out in the aerial photograph, but these may also date from other periods.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Heynowski, Foto ©LfA 2011.
Position of the trapezoids
There are numerous trapezoidal graves in the vicinity of the Mehltheuer ditch complex, but the street of twelve structures in a row is a special feature. The digital terrain model shows that the graves are roughly aligned with the hilltops. Their position and orientation therefore followed the natural features. The surrounding trapezoids are also located on hilltops. However, it is striking that the most prominent hilltops were not chosen for the trapezoidal tombs. The linear alignment of the trapezoids was therefore obviously intentional and more important than their location on a prominent hilltop in the landscape. It is possible that the graves were lined up along a path or along a visual axis.
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie ReckImage Source R. Heynowski/A. Reck, Bearbeitung DGM ©LfA 2018/2024.
Literature
Ronald Heynowski/Carsten Mischka/Tobias Mühlenbruch/Michael Strobel, Weg – Grenze – Zufall, Luftbildprospektion und geomagnetische Untersuchungen von trapezförmigen mittelneolithischen Grabanlagen bei Roitzsch (RZH-50). In: Regina Smolnik (Hrsg.), Ausgrabungen in Sachsen 7. Arbeits- und Forschungsberichte zur sächsischen Bodendenkmalpflege, Beih. 34 (Dresden 2020) 81–91.
Ronald Heynowski, Straße der Trapezgräber. In: Regina Smolnik/Ronny Zienert (Hrsg.), Höhenflüge. Luftbilder und Archäologie in Sachsen (Dresden 2024) 52–53.
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/trapezoidal-graves-from-roitzsch/
Citation
Ronald Heynowski/Annemarie Reck, Trapezoidal graves from Roitzsch. In: Landesamt für Archäologie Sachsen, Website archaeo | SN (26.04.2024). https://archaeo-sn.de/en/ort/trapezoidal-graves-from-roitzsch/ (Stand: 23.01.2025)
