Discovery of a 4,000-year-old burial ground near Söllingen!

Discovery of a 4,000-year-old burial ground near Söllingen!

Construction work on a new wind farm near Söllingen, in the Helmstedt district, has brought to light a remarkable archaeological discovery. During excavation work, the construction workers came across a burial ground from the Early Bronze Age that was over 4,000 years old. Such finds are of great importance in Lower Saxony and show how deeply rooted the region's history is. The News38 described this discovery as a stroke of luck for archeology in Lower Saxony.

The first excavations began on June 16, 2025, parallel to the construction work. This project is the result of a collaboration between the Landwind Group, the district archeology department, the district archeology department and the University of Göttingen. Archaeologists found a total of six graves of the Aunjetice culture, which date back to the early 2nd millennium BC. Be dated.

Special forms of burial

What makes the burial ground special? The burials include both classic skeletons and rare “ragged” burials, where skull fragments and bones are isolated in pits. Such rituals are rather atypical, but are already known from other excavations in the area. Some skeletons were lying on their sides in a crouched position and were facing east, which may indicate beliefs and ideas about the afterlife at the time. These special burial forms were also found in finds in the area, which underlines the archaeological importance of the region, which was already populated during the Bell Beaker and Aunjetitz cultures.

The finds are remarkable not only in their number, but also in terms of the additions such as clay vessels, which indicate the ritual importance of the graves. In particular, burials surrounded by stone or with stone protection raise interesting questions about the practices and beliefs of this early culture.

Scientific investigation and future research projects

The completely preserved skeletons and scattered bones, together with the clay vessels found, are currently being restored and scientifically documented Sat1 regional reported. Students from the University of Göttingen support the project, which is led by the archaeologist Immo Heske. Further investigations are planned, such as 14C dating and anthropological analysis, in order to find out more about the age, gender and living conditions of those buried.

The first research results are to be published in June 2026 in the series “Archaeology in Lower Saxony”. This suggests the possibility of new findings that could expand the understanding of one of northern Germany's earliest cultures.

Overall, the discovery of the burial ground near Söllingen shows the rich history of the region and the immense potential of archaeological research, which gives us deeper insights into past ways of life.