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Groß Steinum 1

Passage Grave

<b>Groß Steinum 1</b>Posted by NucleusImage © Uwe Häberle 04/2019
Also known as:
  • Großsteingrab am Dorm

Latitude:52° 16' 28.81" N
Longitude:   10° 52' 7.1" E

Added by Nucleus


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Fieldnotes

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The reconstructed megaltihic tomb of Groß Steinum 1 is located east of the road from Groß Steinum to Beienrode. The chamber of the passage grave was built in 1960 at the current location of 16 stones, which were uncovered in 1951 at 200 meters away in a field. The long chamber is formed by twelve support stones and roofed by four powerful capstones (one weighs ten tons) of lignite quartzites.

Drive from Groß Steinum on the K12 towards Beienrode and taken the second field track to your right. There is a sign and a small parking lot. Walk from here towards the forest. Turn right and walk along the edge of the forest for about 300m and you'll reach the site.

Visited April 2019
Nucleus Posted by Nucleus
25th April 2019ce

taken from the information board:

Megalithic tomb at the Dorm
Relocated and reconstructed monument, around 3500 BC

A village and its name
Powerful stone blocks from lignite quartzite such as the Wippstein in the cemetery, the Bockshornklippe above the village and the Kirchberg characterize the village of Groß Steinum. Several megalithic tombs from the Stone Age have been excavated on its boundaries. All sorts of stories tell of giants who have designed the landscape around the village with stones. Also, a giant king at the dorm is to be buried under a large stone.

A megalithic tomb near Groß Steinum
The stones of the reconstructed megalithic tomb were excavated in 1950 and 1951 200m southwest of the current location on a field. The archeological investigation by the then regional archaeologist Dr. Alfred Tode released 17 stones of a stone grave, including a capstone weighing 200 hundredweight. The stones were, however, very much shifted. Since they bothered plowing, they had been rearranged or buried again and again in modern times. Numerous scattered human bones and some potsherds were traces of the funerals from around 3500 BC.

A megalithic tomb is moving
In the cold February of 1952, the stones of the studied tomb were moved from the field to the edge of the Dorm. It was an early attempt at experimental archeology. With hard-frozen ground and lightly thickened snow cover, the locals moved the boulders on a sledge with hoists, heavy ropes, and log rolls. This was then pulled by a team of oxen to the edge of the forest. The experiment proved that it was possible to transport the stones with simple technical aids.

Reconstruction of the megalithic tomb
In 1960, the megalithic tomb was rebuilt. The excavator reconstructed a burial chamber with four capstones, 5 pairs of support stones on the long sides, 2 end stones and an entrance on one long side. Due to the strongly disturbed position of the stones of the Groß Steinum tomb a safe reconstruction was not possible. Therefore, the excavator based his reconstruction largely on the well-preserved northern grave of Lübbensteine in Helmstedt.

Megalithic tombs between Elm and Dorm
The Lübbensteine near Helmstedt are today the only megalithic tombs in the district of Helmstedt preserved at the original location. Through excavations, historical sources and field names it is known that once stood between Groß Steinum and Helmstedt a large number of such monuments, which shaped the landscape visible from afar.
Nucleus Posted by Nucleus
25th April 2019ce
Edited 1st May 2019ce