Nebel — Klöwenhugh

Between Nebel and Norddorf there are still three burial mounds: Makkanhugh, Kanshugh and Klöwenhugh. Klöwenhugh is probably the most prominent burial mound out of these three.

According to the on-site information board, some excavation did take place, but due to grave robbers and a bungled examination of a teacher and his students only one bronze sword and some cremated human bones are known as grave findings. To make matters worse, the sword was destroyed in 1889 during a house fire.

Klöwenhugh (which means “split burial mound”), lies directly on the L215 between Nebel and Norddorf. There is a parking area on the right with an information board. From here the tomb lies only 100 m north along the L215. Also you can walk to the Vogelkoje Meeram (Vogelkoje means Duck decoy) and the Archaeological Area with the megalithic tomb Nebel 1 from here.

Visited November 2019

taken from the on-site information board:

A Bronze Age grave
The burial mound called Klööwenhuuch is one of about 500 archaeological sites on the island of Amrum. It dates from the Middle Bronze Age (about 1600 to 1300 BC) and contains a main grave and a smaller tomb.

The main grave consisted of a clay-sealed, about 1 x 0.4 x 0.5 m stone cist containing cremated human bones and a double-bladed bronze sword. Above the main grave was a smaller stone cist that also contained cremated bones.

Grave robbers and archaeologists
Most burial mounds on Amrum were robbed long ago. The Klööwenhuuch was first examined in 1880 by the teacher and sexton Bandix Friedrich Bonken together with his students. However, this happened without any archaeological knowledge and methods. Most grave finds were sold, partly to the first Amrumer spa guests.

Only a year later, the Klööwenhuuch was expertly examined by Otto Olshausen. However, at this time all grave goods had disappeared from the burial mound. The bronze sword from the Klööwenhuuch was destroyed in 1889 during a house fire.

Christians and earth spirits
At the time of the introduction of the Reformation in 1522-1524, the burial mound, located exactly between Nebel and Norddorf, was said to have served as a place of gathering for the Protestant community. In addition, some Amrumer myths and legends intertwine around this burial mound. In it, for example, the invisible Onerbäänke (earth spirits) have lived.