The Modern Antiquarian. Stone Circles, Ancient Sites, Neolithic Monuments, Ancient Monuments, Prehistoric Sites, Megalithic MysteriesThe Modern Antiquarian

Bunsoh

Passage Grave

Fieldnotes

taken from the on-site information board:

Bunsoh, district Dithmarschen
Megalithic tomb and cup stone

The megalithc tomb is located on a ridge between the Gieselau and Westerau lowlands. It was opened for the first time in 1884, but very improperly. At that time only the mound was visible and the "excavators" hoped for treasures inside the mound. In 1908 the first more detailed investigation took place in the course of a necessary repair. Large stone graves, also called megalithic tombs (Greek megas = large, lithos = stone), vary in their construction. This tomb is a "Holstein Chamber", a special form of the so-called passage graves. The corridor does not start right in the middle of the tomb, which is more rectangular in plan. In the megalithic tomb of Bunsoh, there are three cap stones on eight support stones, the spaces between which are sealed with flat dry masonry. The western capstone, which is exceptionally made of sandstone, is richly decorated with numerous bowls and symbols. Usually granite was used as a building material in the Stone Age. The floor of the chamber was paved with stones the size of a head. New vertical stone slabs divided the chamber into four compartments: perhaps a division for clans or families, in which bones and accessories were deposited. During the investigations, numerous finds came to light: i.a. a flint dagger handle with remains of a blade, a small flat ax and some well-preserved vessels.
The surface of the cup-marked stone about 150 bowls and grooves of various sizes and depths, as well as two handprints shown in pairs, two footprints, a wheel with four spokes and a bowl surrounded by a double circle. The western side of the stone has downwardly running furrows. The interpretation of these motives is very difficult. It is certain that the decorations were only created between the late Neolithic and the Middle Bronze Age. The capstone had reappeared through removal or erosion and was probably considered a kind of "holy stone", which was gradually provided with the symbols. With an extension of the burial mound in the Bronze Age, the capstone was covered again and thus survived the time unscathed. Above all, the weather and willful destruction make the verifications a problem.
Above the middle capstone was a grave with a tree coffin from the older Bronze Age (approx. 1700 BC). Unfortunately, no additions have been made to this grave. All that was left of the tree coffin were past remains.
Nucleus Posted by Nucleus
13th September 2020ce

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