During the construction of an Intel plant in Germany, archaeologists discovered two 6,000-year-old monumental barrows near Eulenberg, not far from Magdeburg.
A Gateway to Neolithic Customs and Rituals
The excavations, carried out by the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt, have uncovered important artefacts that bear witness to ancient customs and rituals.
These discovered barrows, dating back to the late Neolithic period, featured wooden burial chambers with multiple burials, offering a unique glimpse into the burial practices of the era.
An intriguing aspect of the discovery is the area's continued importance to ancient communities across millennia. In subsequent periods, the corridor between the mounds was used as a route for processions, where religious rites and sacrifices were performed.
In addition, mounds of other cultures, such as the spherical amphora culture and the corded pottery culture, were discovered on the territory, reflecting the next stages of the development of this area.
These findings provide invaluable insights into the lives and traditions of ancient societies.
With Intel's upcoming construction of semiconductor manufacturing facilities, efforts to preserve and document the site's archaeological heritage remain a priority.
The State Administration for the Protection of Monuments and Archeology plans to complete the excavation by the end of April to prepare the ground for construction, but to preserve the historical heritage value of the site.
