Stralendorf 1

Stralendorf 1 aka Hünenbett ohne Kammer von Stralendorf aka Zülow is an impressive unchambered trapezoid north-south oriented long barrow dating to 3500–2800 BC. It lies today at the western edge of the village of Stralendorf, in the Ludwigslust-Parchim district, directly beside a road called Gartenweg. At 125 metres in length it is the longest megalithic monument in Mecklenburg and one of the longest in Germany. Its width narrows from about 4.0 m at the southern end to just 1.5 m at the north, and the stones themselves get smaller towards the north as well.

The mound was still largely intact in 1934. It was excavated and reconstructed in 1964 by Ewald Schuldt, whose work showed that every one of the kerbstones had survived. Beneath the mound, six separate stone pavements — laid both across and along the barrow’s axis — were found, a construction feature typical of this monument type. The excavator concluded that the barrow was originally only 38 m long and was later extended to its present length.

Unlike most Giants Beds of this type, this one has no chamber at all — no human bones were recovered here, only grave goods: 108 pottery sherds, five arrowheads, four amphorae, four blades, four scrapers, two funnel beakers, a dagger, a flat axe, a hollow chisel, a transverse arrowhead, a hammerstone, a wide-mouthed pot and a bowl. Its sheer length alone makes it worth the detour even for visitors who have seen plenty of chambered tombs elsewhere.

Coming from Schwerin, head towards Hagenow/Pampow, turn off towards Pampow and drive through the village in the direction of Stralendorf. In Stralendorf, follow the

Taken from the on-site information board:

Giants Bed
Neolithic period

This Neolithic burial site is a ‘megalithic tomb without a chamber’ featuring a trapezoidal stone enclosure. A burial chamber built from large stone blocks – otherwise characteristic of megalithic tombs (large stone tombs) – is not present here.

Measuring 125 metres in length, this burial site ranks among the longest Neolithic sites of its kind.

During the archaeological investigation carried out by E. Schuldt in 1964, six individual burials were identified in the earthen embankment; these had been dug lengthways and crossways into the natural sandy soil and were each covered with a layer of stones roughly the size of a fist.

The finds: a flat axe, a hollow chisel, a dagger, blades, scrapers and flint arrowheads. Also, shards of ceramic funnel-beakers and amphorae.