Nucleus

taken from the on-site information board:

The rebuilt megalithic tomb of Frestedt
Reconstruction after 5000 years in Albersdorf

On a spur in the grazed area lies a small Neolithic burial chamber with the entrance on the narrow side, a so-called dolmen (from Breton for “stone table”). This comes from Frestedt and was rebuilt here. The complex gives an impression of how the megalithic tomb may have looked at the time of their construction with the mound of earth only partially covering the capstone.

The large stone graves, also known as megalithic tombs (mega=large, lithos=stone), belong to the new stone age, known as the Neolithic period (4,100 – 1,700 BC).
The numerous megalithic tombs built in the period between 3,500-3,000 BC have shaped our landscape for thousands of years until today. The people no longer lived from hunting and the gathering of food, they had become sedentary farmers. Through livestock and farming, they changed the environment to a much greater extent than in previous times. After the characteristic vessels with a funnel-shaped rim, the culture was given the name “Funnel Beaker Culture”.

A distinction is made between different types of megalithic tombs. The oldest form seems to be the dolmen with an entrance on the narrow side. In so-called passage graves, a passage begins at right angles or at an angle to the chamber. This form of megalithic tomb is younger on average than that of the dolmen. With the stones used, the supporting stones, the smooth side points inwards if possible, the gaps are filled with flat dry masonry. In the burial chamber there was a floor covering made of burned flint. Mighty boulders served as the capstones. Dolmen or passage graves can, as seen here, be surrounded by a round burial mound. Sometimes these round mounds were expanded to accommodate additional burial chambers. This expansion resulted in extensive sites such as the so-called long beds or long barrows.

Halfway to the dolmen, next to several boulders, a model can be seen that shows how we had to imagine transporting stones on wooden rolls at that time. In this way, one can only guess at the great amount of effort that people at the time required ...

During my first visit to the megalithic tomb at Brutkamp in June 2020, the image stabilizer on my camera did not work properly, which meant that almost all of my pictures were blurred. That’s why I’m taking the chance in September 2020 on my trip to Sylt to visit the tomb again.

Albersdorf 8 (aka Brutkamp) is a so-called polygonal dolmen, a subspecies of the dolmen that occurs mainly in Denmark, Sweden and Schleswig-Holstein. The Brutkamp has five supporting stones and a single, oversized capstone, characteristic of the type, which weighs around 23 tons and has a circumference of almost nine meters. It is the largest capstone in Schleswig-Holstein. The low stone corridor faces southeast. The mound of earth at Brutkamp has been completely removed or eroded. A small park with old linden trees surrounds the tomb today.

According to tradition, the name Brutkamp means that in Christian times, newlyweds met at the stone to pay homage to the Nordic goddess Freya and to implore rich children’s blessings.

To get to the tomb, drive on the L316 (Süderstraße) north through Albersdorf. In the middle of the village you’ll pass a football field on the right, turn right here into the Wulf-Isebrand-Straße. Pass the football field and a school and turn right again (after about 280m) into the road Brutkamp. Park here or in the school parking lot. There is a small signed path between the houses that leads in a eastern direction into the park. Form here is only a 100 m short walk to the tomb, which lies prominently on a small hillock in the middle of the park.

Revisited September 2020

taken from the on-site information board:

A megalithic tomb
on the Brutkamp in Albersdorf, district Dithmarschen

This large stone grave (also called megalithic tomb, mega=large, lithos=stone) is located on a slight natural elevation in the village of Albersdorf.
At Brutkamp the burial chamber consists of five support stones and a capstone weighing almost 23 tons – the largest in Schleswig Holstein. In technical terminology, this type of tomb is called a polygonal dolmen, a special form; here the supporting stones form a polygonal layout.
The entrance to the burial chamber with three remaining support stones is in the southeast. In the vicinity of the entrance there were several broken stones, one of which is to be regarded as the capstone of the corridor. This stone had a series of round indentations on one side – so-called cup marks. The mound of earth covering the megalithic tomb has been almost completely removed or eroded.
Investigations by the Institut für Ur- und Frühgeschichte der Universität Kiel took place in the summer of 2009, and numerous ceramic and flint finds came to light. Most likely, the entrance area was destroyed as early as the late Neolithic.

In Schleswig-Holstein, the oldest graves that can be reliably dated belong to the early Stone Age, called Neolithic by experts (4,100-1,700 BC). Those numerous tombs, which were erected in the period between 3,500-3,000 BC have shaped our landscape for thousands of years until today. They are built from the large boulders (mostly granite) left by the Ice Age glaciers. These graves were mostly community (collective) graves in which numerous dead were buried over a long period of time. Typical additions were clay pots, axes, chisels and arrows made of flint or jewelry made of amber.

People no longer lived from hunting and gathering food. They had become sedentary farmers who ran cattle and fields.

In the past, the megalithic tombs were not considered human work. Nobody could imagine that such large and heavy stones could be moved by people. Many sagas and legends are entwined with these imposing tombs and they were viewed as the work of the devil, the witches and also the giants. According to tradition, the newlyweds made a sacrifice to the Nordic goddess Freya (goddess of fertility and love) here at Brutkamp. The Brutkamp megalithic tomb characterizes the coat of arms of the municipality of Albersdorf.

Albersdorf 8 (aka Megalithic tomb in the Papenbusch) is located on the eastern outskirts of Albersdorf north of the youth hostel in the spa gardens (Kurpark). The dolmen itself was located in a 0.95 m high round mound with a diameter of 13.5 m without the remains of a stone border. The site with a 1.1 m long and 0.55 m wide corridor was restored in 1946 as part of a follow-up examination.

In the middle of the mound was a chamber with the internal dimensions 2.4 × 1.2 m. Six approximately 1.8 m high bearing stones, two on the western, three on the eastern long side, and a block on the northern narrow side carried two cap stones, one of which is missing. The preserved capstone with two cup marks was not in situ on the pair of supporting stones on the access side.

To get to the tomb, drive on the L316 (Süderstraße) north through Albersdorf. On the northern end, there is a roundabout. Use the first exist and drive into the Bahnhofstraße. After about 350 m you’ll reach on the left side the entry into the spa gardens (Kurpark). Park here and enter the park. Keeping to the left you pass the forest stage and after 250 m you should reach the information sign of the tomb.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Community Albersdorf
- Megalithic Tomb in the Papenbusch -

Tomb from the later Stone Age (extended dolmen); built around 2900-2600 BC.
The site was previously completely covered by a heaped up mound. Only one of the capstones of the chamber remains today, but its original location is also uncertain.

The builders of such graves belonged to the so-called Funnel Beaker Culture. They formed the first peasant population to farm and raise livestock.

The stone circle and the stone pack are replicas of urn graves from the Iron Age (around 600-500 BC) from Arkebek.

Bunsoh is a Holstein chamber-type passage grave and is relatively small at 3.75 m in length. The width is 1.55 m and the longitudinal axis is oriented from west to east. The floor of the chamber of the large stone grave was paved with pebbles the size of a head. The spaces between the supporting stones were closed with flat stone slabs. The chamber, which is accessed from the south, was divided into four quarters. Ceramics and appliances made of flint were found as grave goods.

Three capstones rest on eight vertical supporting stones, of which the western one is covered with about 300 small cup-marks, several engraved lines, a wheel cross, stylized human hands and a sole. The latter three are not found in Germany and are rarely found anywhere else. The cup-marked stone from Bunsoh is considered to be one of the most important cult objects from prehistoric times, six more cup-marked stones were discovered in the vicinity of the large stone grave.

The tomb is still surrounded by its burial mound, which does not necessarily make taking photos easy, but gives a good idea of ??the entire complex.

To get to the grave, drive in Albersdorf on the Norderstraße in the direction of Immenstedt. Approx. 2 km after you have crossed a railway line at the end of the village, turn right onto the L148 in the direction of Wrohm and after another 200 m turn right again into Ziegeleistraße. There is a small parking lot here with an information sign, from which the short footpath (approx. 300 m) leads around a field to the tomb.

Highly recommended if you are in the area!!!

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

P.S.S.: I replaced some of the images, which I shot during a stopover on my trip to Sylt in September 2020.

Visited June 2020

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.

In the Rehbergholz, a forest south of Satrup, you will find 3 long barrows along a 4 km long circular path. Rehbergholz 3 is heavily destroyed, only the remains of a 30m x 10m long barrow are visible, in fact the forest track runs through this giants bed (my images are only from the remains on the western side of the track, as I was not aware of this fact during my visit).

Drive south on the L22 from Satrup towards Uelsby. About 2.5 km behind Satrup the road enters the forest and there is a parking lot on the left. Park here and walk along the forest path straight on (eastward) for 1.2 km. You reach a T-crossing turn left here and walk northward. After about 200 m you’ll should see a sign for tomb (Langbett – Archäologisches Denkmal).

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

In the Rehbergholz, a forest south of Satrup, you will find 3 long barrows along a 4 km long circular path.

Drive south on the L22 from Satrup towards Uelsby. About 2.5 km behind Satrup the road enters the forest and there is a parking lot on the left.

Park here and walk along the forest path straight on (eastward) for 1.2 km. You reach a T-crossing, turn left here and walk northward. After about 200 m you’ll come to Rehbergholz 3. 100 m behind Rehbergholz 3 turn right and walk north-eastward. After 750 m you’ll reach Rehbergholz 1 (Pinnesgrab), which lies right of the track in the woods. Unfortunately I couldn’t find Rehbergholz 2, I assume I had the wrong GPS coordinates and that the location of the tomb is not accurately shown on the map at the start of the track and on the information board of Rehbergholz 1. The coordinates I specified on this site are based now on an OpenStreet map.

During my visit, there was a heavy thunder storm, so I had to wait until the heavy rain subsided. Unfortunately it didn’t get any brighter afterwards. So I plan to return someday for better images and to finally find Rehbergholz 2.

Visited June 2020

In the Rehbergholz, a forest south of Satrup, you will find 3 long barrows along a 4 km long circular path. While only a few round stones and the mound can still be seen of the other two tombs, the Pinnesgrab to the east is by far best preserved and is worth a visit in itself.

It is a rectangular giants bed facing east-west with two burial chambers. The dimensions of the enclosure are 33 × 6.5 m. In the eastern part of the long barrow there is an obliquely transverse extended dolmen, the entrance to which was probably in the south. There is only a pair of support stones and a slipped capstone. Remains of a second chamber can be found in the western part of the enclosure. More then 40 kerbstones are still visible.

Drive south on the L22 from Satrup towards Uelsby. About 2.5 km behind Satrup the road enters the forest and there is a parking lot on the left. Park here and walk along the forest path straight on (eastward) for 1.2 km. You reach a T-crossing turn left here and walk northward. After about 200 m you pass Rehbergholz 3. 100 m behind Rehbergholz 3 turn right and walk north-eastward. After 750 m you’ll reach Pinnesgrab, which lies right of the track in the woods. From the parking lot it about 2.5 km in total.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site information board:

Community Satrup
- Long barrows or giant beds -

In the Rehbergholz (Schleswig State Forest) at least six large stone graves were built in the Neolithic Age (approx. 3,500 BC). Of these megalithic tombs, three are called long barrows or giant beds because of their long rectangular shape and size. In the tomb to the north (length 20 m; width 8 m), a hollow in the eastern half indicates a cleared burial chamber. A path leads over the southern long barrow (length 30 m; width 10 m). Some curbs have been preserved in both earth mounds.
The best preserved long barrow “Pinnesgrab” is located to the east and is 35 m long and up to 10 m wide. The large stone enclosure is incomplete; the elongated earth mound is irregularly shaped and irregularly raised from 0.8 to 1.3 m. In the mound are the remains (support stones and slipped cap stones) of two dolmen-like burial chambers. According to legend, the robber chief Pinnes or Pinas is buried here. He made the area unsafe on his journeys on water and on land during his life. Until around 1900, the residents of the surrounding villages met on the morning of Pentecost Sunday to hold a happy feast with music, coffee and cake.
The three long barrows have been a listed building since 1977.

Four rune stones were found in the vicinity of Haithabu. All are memorial stones for fallen warriors who were closely related to the Danish rulers of the 10th century in Haithabu.

The Erki-Stein was found in 1796 between two burial mounds, on the Kreuzberg, a hill between Haithabu and the Königshügel. During excavations, traces of cremation were found, but nothing that could be understood as the burial of a Viking Age chief.

The inscription on the stone reads:

“Thorulf erected this stone, Sven’s henchman, for Erik, his comrade, who was killed when warriors besieged Haithabu, and he was a helmsman [and] warrior – a very respected one.”

However, this stone is only a replica. The original can be seen in the Haithabu Viking Museum in Busdorf.

The stone is right on the road between Oberselk and Busdorf in a parking lot.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site information board:

All four rune stones found in the vicinity of Haithabu are memorial stones for fallen warriors who were closely related to the Danish rulers of the 10th century in Haithabu.

A fifth rune stone, dated around 1050, was discovered in 1897 in the north side tower of Schleswig Cathedral. Today it is in the Gottorf Castle Archeology Museum.

The Erik stone indicates the followers of King Sven Gabelbart (approx. 987-1014). Sven’s follower Thorulf had this stone erected in memory of his comrade Erik, in order to praise his merits as a skipper and warrior.

The rare tie runes on the back of the stone are a specialty.

Süderbrarup – Kummerhy is a late Bronze Age burial mound excavated in 1861. The burnt remains of a dead person were found in a small stone box in the center. Outside the inner, still preserved stone circle is a 2 m high guardian stone (in German Wächterstein). There are more than 45 cup marks on it. Later, presumably during the Viking Age, another dead person was buried unburned, the outer stone circle was created and a new hill about 15 m in diameter was raised over it.

In Süderbrarup, turn into the Bahnhofsstraße in the direction of Norderbrarup. Follow the road for 750 m. Just before the Thorsberger Moor (an old famous German sacrificial bog, in which the Angles deposited votive offerings for approximately four centuries) car park on the right, turn left into the Heuländer Straße and cross the railway tracks. Immediately after the level crossing, the site lies on the right side.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site Historischer Kultur- und Natur-Wanderlehrpfad information board:
Burial mound Kummerhy

Burial mounds have shaped the landscape of northern Germany for thousands of years. Most of them are visible from afar on natural hills, some groups of burial mounds also follow the course of old path systems.

This burial mound called “Kummerhy” (Kummer = chamber, burial chamber; hy = hill) from the Younger Bronze Age (1100-730 / 720 BC) is situated west of the Thorsberger Moor. It is the last remaining burial mound of a dismantled group of three mounds and was examined as early as 1861 by the excavator of the Thorsberg bog finds, Conrad Engelhardt, and then covered. In 1927 the Süderbrarup Bürgerverein (citizens’ association) excavated it again.

Originally the “Kummerhy” had a diameter of around 15 m, a height of 3 m and had two stone circles of around 6 m and 12-15 m in diameter. In the center was a very small stone cist made of two stone slabs (approx. 50 x 60 cm, ground and ceiling) and 14 small stones that formed the wall. Cremated bones and a bronze needle lay inside.

Outside the stone circle was a so-called “guardian stone”, the side of which, provided with approx. 45 cup marks, faced the hill. In the inner stone circle was another dead man, his head laid on a stone in the border. This apparently included two stone steles (high, free-standing pillars). Today it is assumed that a subsequent burial took place here in the existing burial mound during the Viking Age. Two Viking Age corpses that came to light just a few meters west of the hill also fit in with this. The entire complex with the cup marks stone obtained the new larger stone circle after the two steles were set.

Conrad Engelhardt also reported on four urns that were in the mantle of the hill. Especially in the Younger Bronze Age people used existing mounds as burial places for the burned dead and buried in urns.

The current state of the reconstructed mound shows, all in all, its original appearance, only the stone with its cup mark front has been turned a little more to the east, towards the Thorsberger Moor.

taken from the on-site information board:

COMMUNITY Süderbrarup
- Kummerhy burial mound -

Excavated burial mound from the late Bronze Age (around 650-500 BC). The cremated remains of the dead man were found in a small stone box in the center.
Outside the inner stone circle there is an approximately 2m high “guarding stone” with more than 45 cup marks.
Later, perhaps not until the Viking Age (9th-10th centuries AD), another dead person was buried unburned, the outer stone circle was laid out and a new hill about 15 m in diameter was built over it.
Excavated in 1861; exposed again in 1927 by the Bürgerverein (“citizens’ association”) Süderbrarup.

Loose is an beautiful extended dolmen and is located about 1.6 km north-east of Loose in the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district in Schleswig-Holstein, 50 m west of the B203 in a field.

The north-west-south-east oriented chamber is well preserved. All stones are present and are in situ. The long sides consist of two pairs of supporting stones. At the north-western end there is a end stone, opposite a low entry stone. The chamber is covered with a capstone, its dimensions are 2.4 × 1.9 × 1.3 m. The stones are made of red granite.

Parking on the B203 could be difficult, therefore I recommend to park at the parking lot Loose (approx. 1 km northeast of Loose) and walking further north on the footpath next to the B203. On the left side you should already see the dolmen, access to the field is possible 350 m on the left behind the parking lot.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Gammelby-Eichtal 1 is the only one of three former megalithic tombs in this area and is located north of Gammelby and southwest of the Eichtal estate, immediately east of the road to Sönderby. According to Ernst Sprockhoff, this is not the original location. Hans Hingst (Großsteingräber in Schleswig-Holstein, Offa Band 42, 1985) states that it was discovered in 1950 while plowing on the farm paddock of the Eichtal estate. The original site is probably not very far from where it is today.

The site has a slightly oval mound. The length from north to south is 25 m and the width from east to west 20 m. The mound originally had a stone enclosure. The burial chamber is a small, east-southeast-west-north-west oriented grand dolmen with a length of about 3 m and a width of about 1.4 m. The chamber originally consisted of three pairs of wall stones on the long sides, a end stone on the western and a smaller end stone on the eastern narrow side, a doorstep stone on the southeast corner and three cap stones. The missing three wall stones, the western end stone and two cap stones were shifted at the edge of the field. They are now back in their original place. Only one capstone is missing. Hingst did not find any grave goods.

Drive north on the Dorfstraße from Gammelby towards Sönderby. After about 800 m the tomb lies on the right side in a field. Parking is easy, there is a small parking lot to the left. During my visit the grass was very high so that the tomb was only partially visible. Therefore, a visit in spring or winter is more advisable.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Rothenstein has an only partially preserved burial chamber, probably oriented northeast-southwest. One support stone on the north-western and two on the south-eastern long side, the north-eastern end stone and one capstone are still preserved. The capstone has several bowls on its upper side. It has a length of 2.5 m, a width of 2 m and a thickness of 1.4 m. The southwest part of the chamber is missing.

Drive on the B73 in a south-easterly direction from Eckernförde to Kiel. About 2.5 km after Eckernförde is the Gasthaus Grüner Jäger on the left with a large parking lot. Continue for 2 km and turn right into the Rothenstein settlement. Cross the bridge over a railway line and park near the last house on the right side. A farm track starts here, follow this track for about 850 m.

The tomb is in a field to the left of this farm track and is easily accessible. Although at the time of my visit it was very overgrown, but the access to the grave was cleared.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

The megalithic tomb Hohenkamp (also called Noer-Lindhöft) was originally located near Lindhöft, a district of Noer in the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district in Schleswig-Holstein. Road construction work made an archaeological investigation of the site by Gottfried Schäfer necessary in February 1966 and a subsequent relocation in the vicinity of Schnellmark, a district of Altenhof. The tomb was originally located east of the Hohenkamp farm belonging to Lindhöft, directly south of the Bäderstraße. Its new location is 3.2 km west-southwest in Schnellmarker Holz, about 400 m north-west of the Gasthof Grüner Jäger in Altenhof near Eckernförde.

This site has a north-south oriented burial chamber, which is an enxtended dolmen with a length of 2 m and a width of 1.6 m. There are two pairs of support stones on the long sides and the northern end stone. About two thirds of the south side is taken up by a stone slab, while in the eastern third a transverse slab extends up to about half the height of the support stones and allows access to the chamber. Of the original two capstones, only the northern one has survived. It has a length of 2.2 m, a width of 1.4 m and a thickness of 0.8 m. The support stones are between 1.3 m and 1.4 m high and between 1 m and 1.2 m wide.

Drive on the B73 in a south-easterly direction from Eckernförde to Kiel. About 2.5 km after Eckernförde is the Gasthaus Grüner Jäger on the left with a large parking lot. Park here and follow the forest road that starts left of the entrance to the Wohnmobilpark Ostsee – Grüner Jäger (Caravan park). Follow the forest road for about 350 m, the tomb lies on the right side on a small hillock in a slighlty left bend of the road.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

South of the B203 to Eckernförde or Borgstedt, on what is now an industrial area, there was a burial ground with seven long beds and five burial mounds. The graves were probably dug by the inhabitants of the nearby earthworks of Büdelsdorf. Today only one street name, “An den Reesenbetten” (An den Riesenbetten -> at the giants beds), reminds of the former necropolis. The graves were examined in detail before the industrial area was established. Among other things, the remains of an extended dolmen were found. The burial chamber was reconstructed with original stones in the immediate vicinity of the roundabout between Büdelsdorf and Borgstedt.

Drive on the B203 from Büdelsdorf towards Eckernförde. At the northeast end of the village there is a roundabout. Büdelsdorf 2 lies between the branch to the L42 to Borgstedt and the B203 to Eckernförde in front of some new square houses. A funeral business was housed in one of the houses during my visit in 2020, what a coincidence ;-).

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site information board:

Parish Büdelsdorf

A fortified settlement from the Younger Stone Age is located in the Hollerschen Anlagen and the adjacent residential area. The builders belonged to the so-called Funnel Beaker Culture (from approx. 3500 BC), the first settled population in Schleswig-Holstein to cultivate and raise cattle.
These people buried their dead in burial chambers in the cemetery about 1 km away. This grave field with 7 long beds and 5 round mounds was completely excavated as part of the development of an industrial area. Numerous objects such as clay vessels, tools made of flint and rock, as well as amber beads were given to the dead.
The burial chamber set up here (extended dolmen) is reconstructed using original stones based on excavation results. Wall stones on the long sides and a endstone carry a capstone. The entrance is marked by a half-height stone. The dead and their gifts were laid down on the pavement of pebbles and burnt flint. Then the chamber was covered with a round mound of earth and surrounded by a stone circle.

Büdelsdorf 1 is a simple dolmen (Urdolmen, literally “ancient dolmen”) and was discovered in 1949 in what is now the urban area in a heavily plowed burial mound.

After the investigation by Manfred Peters, the grave was moved about 300 m to the south in the park on the high bank of the river Eider. It is an simple dolmen with six supporting stones. The long sides are made up of two unequal pairs of stones. The single capstone is probably modern, it is not mentioned by Ernst Sprockhoff. The clear width of the chamber is 1.85 m × 0.70 m × 0.80 m.

Although the site is very easy to visit, it is unfortunately not signposted. To get to the tomb drive on the B203 through Büdelsdorf (north of Rendsburg) towards Eckernförde. You’ll pass a business park on your right. Just after the business park, turn right into the road Am Freidrichsbrunnen. After about 150 m turn left into the second street Friedhofallee. After about 200 m there are residential buildings on the right with parking spaces. Leave your car here, there is a small track on the right side of the houses leading southward into the woods. Walk 60 m and turn left when you come to a T-junction. You should already see the tomb, which lies 50 m after the T-junction along the track.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

P.S.S.: I replaced some of the images, which I shot during a stopover on my trip to Sylt in September 2020.

Visited June 2020

Ramsdorf 1, an extended dolmen, is located directly at the Owschlag rest area in close proximity to the Autobahn A7 and the Owschlag junction. Originally the grave was located east of Ramsdorf and 250 m west of the road leading south from Brekendorf at Hof Langenberg. Since it was endangered by the construction of the A7, it was moved about 400 m to the southeast to the state road L265 in the 1960s.

The site originally had a round mound with a stone enclosure. The burial chamber is an east-west oriented extended dolmen. It consists of two pairs of support stones on the long sides, two end stones on the western narrow side, one end stone on the southern half and a half-height entry stone on the northern half of the eastern narrow side as well as two cap stones. All stones were still in situ when Sprockhoff examined the tomb. The western capstone has a length of 2.5 m, a width of 1.75 m and a thickness of 0.8 m. It has several cup marks on its top. There is also a cup mark on the eastern capstone. The access on the east side of the chamber was originally closed with a stone slab that was found to the east outside the chamber.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site Megalithic Routes in Schleswig-Holstein information board:

Megalithic Routes in Schleswig-Holstein

Stone chamber at rest area Owschlag

This stone burial chamber is no longer where it was built in the Stone Age. It was moved from its original location (technically translocated) and restored.

Hidden information
What can sometimes be seen in the forest or on its edge? Why are there bushes in the middle of the field in some places? Often a peculiarity is hidden behind it, perhaps – as here – a megalithic tomb. For those who do not know such graves, they usually remain hidden.
Even if they are sometimes difficult to make out, perhaps because they have already been destroyed or worn away – the most modern technology allows a burial chamber with walls and an entrance to be created from the position of each stone. So please be careful – there is information everywhere! Most of them are hidden underground. Above all, discoloration of the ground reveals exactly where the stones used to be, which plants grew nearby, what was perhaps placed in the tomb and where the dead lay. If such a place is excavated, documentation accurate to the millimeter enables the previously hidden knowledge to be revealed.
Without these finds we would know nothing about the early humans in today’s Schleswig-Holstein. In the future, researchers will be able to draw more conclusions with even better technology. That is why excavations are only carried out in an emergency – i.e. if there is a risk of possible destruction of the site – or for research purposes. Because changes or the removal of stones and earth damage the monument.
Try to spot the hidden traces of the past on a trip through North Germany!

The passage grave of Missunde is located about 100 m south of the town of Missunde in the Eckernförde district in Schleswig-Holstein within the memorial for the fallen in the battles of Missunde. Originally the grave was located in a round hill bordered with curbs. The diameter was approx. 30 to 35 m with a height of at least 3 m. In 1842 the southern part of the hill was removed and the chamber cleared.

The corridor is on the southern long side. It is said to have been almost seven meters long in 1842. Today there are only a few passage stones left, but excavations in 1961 show marks of possible corridor stones over a greater length.
A missing capstone stone was replaced by a capstone fragment during the restoration and two of the capstones that were no longer in their original position were placed on the narrower eastern part of the chamber for safety reasons.

Coming from Kosel, the site is at the entrance to the village, on the right on a small, wooded hill and is signposted.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

P.S.S.: I replaced some of the images, which I shot during a stopover on my trip to Sylt in September 2020.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site information board Wikinger-Friesen-Weg:

Megalithic Tomb and Funnel Beaker Culture

Who were the builders of the megalithic tombs? Was it tough powerhouses or well-organized village communities? Thanks to the finds in large stone graves that have been archaeologically examined, research can now answer many questions. Often ceramic shards were found in the burial sites, which could be put together to so-called “funnel beakers”. The archaeologists recognized the funnel beakers as the main form and called the people from now on the “Funnel Beaker Culture”. These people were the first in northern Germany to settle down and earn their living from farming and raising livestock. They were the first farmers in our country.

During the finds of many funnel beakers which were dated between 4100 and 2800 BC the megalithic tombs were only built in the short span between about 3500 to 3000 BC – exactly at the time of the first farmers.

With ox power and craftsmanship, our ancestors were able to create the huge grave monuments. The grave constructions ranged from simple, closed systems for individual people to grave chambers with separate passages for up to over one hundred people.

The megalithic tomb of Missunde was built as an accessible “passage grave” on a hilltop in the immediate vicinity of the Schlei. The inside of the grave could be reached via the corridor in order to undertake possible subsequent burials. Probably only the skeletons were brought in after the corpse decayed outside of the large stone grave. Subdivisions by vertical stone slabs served to separate selected bone material. One knows graves in which skulls, shoulder blades or long bones were deposited separately from one another. Initially there were numerous megalithc tombs in the area around Missunde. Here is one of the few that have been preserved.

taken from the on-site information board of the Kosel community:

Missunde
On the hill there is a barrow that is officially recognized as an archaeological monument. A plaque at the bottom of the hill refers to the battle of Missunde on February 2, 1864.

Large stone grave Missunde – megalithic tomb – giant grave
A passage grave with 11 supporting stones and 4 cap stones. It dates from around 2900-2600 BC and proves that people already lived here at this time (Neolithic Age). They were hunters and gatherers who cleared the grown forest and settled down long after the ice age. They grew crops and raised cattle. They built their graves with boulders from the Ice Age. The smooth side of the stones were turned inside. The gaps were filled with so-called gusset stones and the floor was covered with flint.

The builders of this grave belonged to the so-called Funnel Beaker Culture (ceramic vessels with a funnel-shaped neck). There was a stone setting around the burial mound within 150 to 160 steps of the Missunder megalithic grave; a narrow corridor led to the burial chamber. This grave was restored in 1962. This large stone burial culture originally comes from the eastern Mediterranean and spread to Scandinavia.

This grave originally had four cap stones, two cap stones are missing. It is said that they were still there when the ramparts were built. After that, Gut Ornum probably hewed 42 rear gate posts for the field entrances from these stones. That was common in the past. Many megalithic graves were demolished in the transition from the 17th to the 18th century for the purpose of marking fields. In addition, large boulders from some megalithic graves from our area were used in 1927 for the construction of the Hindenburg dam to Sylt.

Memorial to the battle of 1864: A plaque at the foot of the hill reads: After a century of dispute between related peoples, this memorial is to be renewed as a reminder to fraternal neighbors. Immediately after the battle for the Schlei crossing near Missunde on February 2, 1864, the 2nd Westphalian Infantry Regiment No. 15 had a cast iron plate made for its 20 fallen soldiers in the Rendsburg Carlshütte and attached it to a capstone of the megalithic grave. Because over time this place and the soldiers’ grave at the Ornumer Mühle looked very neglected, the Kosel community, the Schleswig-Holsteinische Heimatbund and the Heimatgemeischaft Eckernförde decided to undertake a thorough restoration. With the help of the Bundeswehr and the Eckernförde State Building School, this new memorial was inaugurated on the 100th anniversary of the Missunde battle and the soldiers’ grave was repaired.

taken from the on-site information board Archäologisches Denkmal:

Community Kosel
- Megalithic tomb of Missunde -

Tomb from the younger Stone Age (passage grave); built around 2900-2600 BC.
The site was originally covered with a heaped mound with a diameter of about 35m. The 5.25 m long chamber used to consist of 11 supporting stones and 4 cap stones and was divided. The entrance, also covered with stones, was almost 7 m long. The builders of such graves belonged to the so-called fFunnel Beaker Culture. It was the first rural population in Schleswig-Holstein to farm and raise cattle. Ceramic vessels and stone utensils were customary as gifts for the deceased.

The Poppostein near Heiligbek is an extended dolmen. It was originally covered with a mound, according to the display board, there is a chance that stones have already been removed, as the chamber is exposed for a very long time. Of the formerly probably two capstones, only one remains, on which there are 17 bowls. The two long sides each consist of 2 supporting stones. To the north there is a endstone, the southern end is unclear.

According to legend, Bishop Poppo is said to have baptized converted pagans here, including the Danish King Harald Blauzahn.
There are 6 boundary stones around the site. They have the year and the coat of arms of the then King Frederick VII of Denmark inscribed, who bought the burial mound in 1859.

The tomb is located about 10 km north of Schleswig, very close to the L317. Drive north on the L317 from Gammellung / Idestedt towards Flensburg. There are two larger parking spaces on the left and right of the L317 at Heiligbek. Park on the right side and look for the Poppostein at the southern end. From here, a signposted approx. 350 m long path leads to the site, which lies very scenic in the middle of a field.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

P.S.S.: I replaced some of the images, which I shot during a stopover on my trip to Sylt in September 2020.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site Megalithic Routes in Schleswig-Holstein information board:

“Poppostein” megalithic chamber

The “Poppostein”, also called “Taufstein”, is a free-standing burial chamber from the Neolithic Age. The mound that originally covered the stone chamber was not preserved here. Since the chamber is exposed, there is a chance that stones have already been removed.

Popular stone
For many people, graves and especially large stone tombs are special places. Can these feelings for certain places also be historically proven? How can awareness of a site be proved through time? First of all, it is understandable that people living at the time were certainly aware of the presence of a megalithic tombs. These special places are later recorded in historical pictures, maps or writings and reinterpreted.

Popular legends are also part of the written evidence that mentions the “Poppostein”. The story from which the stone chamber got its name has been handed down to this day. As is so often the case with subsequent oral tradition, there are several versions. All are about Bishop Poppo von Schleswig, who is said to have lived around the year 1000 AD. The bishop reportedly converted many pagans and baptized them in the nearby Heilligbek river. According to tradition, one of the baptized was the Danish King Harald Blauzahn. The “Poppostein” is said to have been used as a “baptismal font” (in German “Taufstein”), which is why it is also known by this name.
Another story tells of the devil who threw a huge stone at the bishop out of anger, but which flew over him and landed in pieces in the heathland between Stolk and Helligbek. The figurative idea that giants and the devil threw large stones was widespread from the Middle Ages. Designations such as “giant” or “devil’s stones” were used as an explanation for conspicuously large boulders.

Glücksburg 03 like Glücksburg 01 is an extended dolmen and northeast-southwest orientated. The burial mound can only be guessed at, there is no enclosure here either. Only six support stones have survived from the burial chamber. The dimensions of the chamber are estimated to be 1.60 m long and 1.10 m wide.

The tomb lies in the Groß-Tremmerup forest opposite the Fördeland Therme, an indoor wave pool west of the urban area of Glücksburg, about one kilometer northwest of the Castle Glücksburg. Pass the Fördeland Therme and turn left in the Philosophenweg. Park the car here on the right and walk about 25m along the road. A small footpath on the left leads from here about 30 m into the forest to the grave.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 09 (Station 6 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is a round barrow. It lies about 240 m northeast of Glücksburg 10 along the main track from the parking space Schauenthal, where the Dolmenpfad branches off in a northerly direction.

Please note, that the name Glücksburg 09 was arbitrarily chosen by me for this website, as I do not know an official name for it. Along the dolmen path it is Station 6.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 08 (Station 7 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is a round barrow. It lies about 170m northeast of Glücksburg 09 along the main track from the parking space Schauenthal.

Please note, that the name Glücksburg 08 was arbitrarily chosen by me for this website, as I do not know an official name for it. Along the dolmen path it is Station 7.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 10 (Station 8 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is a round barrow. It lies about 150m northeast of Glücksburg 11 along the main track from the parking space Schauenthal.

Please note, that the name Glücksburg 10 was arbitrarily chosen by me for this website, as I do not know an official name for it. Along the dolmen path it is Station 8.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 11 (Station 9 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is a round barrow. It is the first station of the Dolmenpfad, if you start at the parking space Schauenthal.

Please note, that the name Glücksburg 11 was arbitrarily chosen by me for this website, as I do not know an official name for it. Along the dolmen path it is Station 9.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 12 (Station 10 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is a badly damaged long barrow (in German Langbett or Hünenbett). The mound has dimensions of 34 meters long, 11 meters wide and up to 1.50 meters high. In the middle area and at the west end there are deep excavation holes, probably the locations of former chambers. At the northwest end there is one last stone of the enclosure.

Please note, that the name Glücksburg 12 was arbitrarily chosen by me for this website, as I do not know an official name for it. Along the dolmen path it is Station 10.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 05 (Station 1 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is presumable a badly damaged extended dolmen in a round barrow. Preserved is a round mound of about 14 meters in diameter and 1.1 meters in high. In the middle of the mound there is a large stone and a few small stones. Originally a dolmen or extended dolmen will have existed. Archaeological investigations found burnt pieces of flint.

Please note, that the name Glücksburg 05 was arbitrarily chosen by me for this website, as I do not know an official name for it. Along the dolmen path it is Station 1.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 06 (Station 2 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is a badly damaged simple dolmen. Hardly anything can be seen from a mound. A single large stone is preserved. Also nothing of the original structure of the site can be seen. The mound is said to have had a diameter of about 9 meters. Archaeological investigations found burnt pieces of flint.

Please note, that the name Glücksburg 06 was arbitrarily chosen by me for this website, as I do not know an official name for it. Along the dolmen path it is Station 2.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 07 (Station 5 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is a badly damaged long barrow (in German Langbett or Hünenbett). In 1963, Röschmann gave the length of 22 meters, the width of 11-14 meters and the height of 1.80-2.40 meters. At the west end there was an excavation hole measuring 4.80 x 5 meters and 1.30 meters deep. This hole, which represents the location of the former chamber, is nowhere near as deep. The stones of the chamber and the enclosure are all gone. You can still see two stones from a narrow entrance, which Röschmann does not mention.

Please note, that the name Glücksburg 07 was arbitrarily chosen by me for this website, as I do not know an official name for it. Along the dolmen path it is Station 5.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 02 (Station 4 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is an east-west oriented simple dolmen (Urdolmen). The burial mound has a diameter of about 8–9 m. An encirclement could not be determined here either. The burial chamber consists of four wall stones and a cap stone. The wall stones measure between 1.40 m and 1.50 m and are strongly inclined inwards. The capstone was blown into three pieces and in 1936 was still outside the burial chamber. During a later restoration it was put together and put on again. The chamber has a length of 2.00 m and a width between 0.70 m and 0.80 m.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Glücksburg 01 (Station 3 of the Dolmenpfad in Glücksburg) is an north-south oriented extended dolmen. The burial mound has a diameter of about 9 m. Surrounding stones are no longer available. Only three wall stones remain of the burial chamber, which are two support stones on the east side and the southern end stone. The wall stones on the west and north side and the two cap stones are no longer preserved. The entrance to the burial chamber was probably in the southeast corner. The chamber was about 1.50 m long and about 1.00 m wide.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

There are four megalithic tombs near Glücksburg, which were recorded by Ernst Sprockhoff for his atlas of megalithic culture. The tombs do not form a cohesive group, but are spread over a wide area in the forest areas surrounding Glücksburg. Glücksburg 01 and Glücksburg 02 are located about one kilometer northeast of the village in the forest area Friedeholz and are only a few meters apart. To the west of the village, about one kilometer northwest of the castle, lies Glücksburg 03 in the Groß-Tremmerup forest. Glücksburg 04 is also in the forest of Groß-Tremmerup, about 1.3 kilometers southwest of Glücksburg Castle.

Glücksburg 01 and Glücksburg 02 are developed together with other burial mounds and long barrows along the Dolmenpfad (dolmen path) in Glücksburg. The numbers of the stations do not correspond to the numbering scheme used here, since the order according to Sprockhoff or their entries in the German Wikipedia were decisive for the graves 1-4. The remaining graves (5-12) along the dolmen path have been numbered clockwise for the sake of simplicity. The station number of the dolmen path was therefore included in all entries in order to facilitate orientation using the map of the dolmen path.

Siegum is located 150 m west of the settlement Siegumlund near Siegum. It is a heavily destroyed, east-west oriented long barrow or Hunebed. Most of the enclosure stones are missing, only two on the east side and some on the west side have been preserved. The long barrow was around 32 m long and 5 m wide. The burial chamber formed a dolmen standing in the longitudinal direction. Of this, only a damaged stone is preserved today. The stone that still exists can be identified as the northern supporting stone of the western longitudinal wall. The length of the chamber was approximately 2 m and its width was 1.50 m.

To get to the tomb, drive from Siegum to Siegumlund. Shortly after a forest begins on the left, the road turns right at a right angle. Here you park and walk a few meters back to the point where a path leads into the forest in a northeasterly direction. Walk around 60 m along this track, then the tomb lies only 20 m to the left of the track.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

Lehbek is a heavily disturbed, northwest-southeast orientated long barrow or Hunebed, of which only a few stones are preserved. The burial mound is also badly disturbed so that its dimensions of 22.50 m in length and 5.00 m in width are only estimates. The burial chamber lies in the northern half in the form of a transverse extended dolmen. From it three wall stones have been preserved, which are two supporting stones on the northwest side and a keystone on the northeast side. The access was probably on the southwestern narrow side. The chamber originally had a length of approximately 1.60 m and a width and height of 1.00 m.

Lehbek is located in a small hamlet called Pinkyberg southwest of Gelting. Drive south on the Süderholm road. Just before you leave Bosiek a small road (called Pinkyberg turns t0 the right. Follow this road until you come to a T-crossing, turn right here. The tomb is located on the mound 40m after the T-crossing on the right side. Watch for white sign Archäologisches Denkmal (archaeological monument).

During my visit, the site was heavily overgrown, the remaining stones only slightly peeked out of the vegetation so that the contours of the tomb and its enclosure were very difficult to spot.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

At the eastern edge of the forest, about 500m north of Langholz, the Dolmen of Langholz is situated, a megalithic chamber running in a north-south direction. The site, which is part of the Megalithic Routes of Schleswig-Holstein, is in good condition since it was restored in 1977.

It is an extended dolmen, the approximately 2 m × 1 m large rectangular chamber is made of five supporting stones, in the south there is a low entrance stone. It is covered with a capstone, its dimensions are approximately 1.8 m × 1.5 m.

The site was originally covered by a heaped up mound. In the “Atlas of Germany’s Megalithic Tombs” by Ernst Sprockhoff, the dolmen is still described as almost completely destroyed.

To visit the site, drive through Langholz on the road Ostseestraße. At the street fork, stay on the Ostseestraße (left) and after about 300 m you’ll reach a small car park on the left. Park you car here and walk along the road for another 130m until you come to a small crossing. Turn left here into the road Seeblick. Walk along the road in a northwest direction, after 100m the road turns into a field track. Follow this track for additional 400m until you reach the forest. The tomb is signposted here and is situated in the wood on the left 70m from the track.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site Megalithic Routes in Schleswig-Holstein information board:

Megalith chamber of Langholz

This free-standing megalith chamber, restored in 1977, was part of an covered megalithic tomb. The construction is known as an extended dolmen, an early form of a large stone grave. The term describes a burial mound with a burial chamber made of at least three supporting stones, which hold at least one stone on top.

Weighty business
Without doubt, the stones in front of us are mighty. So the question is, how did they get into this position? The site is so complex that it required a certain amount of planning. In preparation for transporting the stones, logs were collected and processed so that they could be pulled on them. The production of enough ropes as a pulling aid also probably took a few weeks in advance. The tons of stones could only be moved with enough human or animal traction, the leverage of additional wooden poles and the rolling woods underneath. If the supporting stones were aligned with a lot of strength in the pits prepared for them, the even heavier capstones were placed on them using earth ramps. How long all of this may have been can only be guessed. In any case, a huge amount of work can be expected.

When I visited Lehmberg in June 2020, the crop was already very high and was also soaking wet from the rain last night. Since there was no access path and I didn’t want to trample down the crop, I just took a zomm shot of the tomb from the field edge.

As there are many tombs in the middle of fields in this area, a visit in winter / spring makes more sense. I am therefore planning my next visit rather in these seasons and will surely stop by again here.

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Not visited June 2020

This site is a well-preserved, west-east orientated long barrow (in German Hünenbett oder Langbett). There are three dolmens on the southern long side.

Under the supervision of the State Office for Prehistory and Early History, it was examined and restored between 1976 and 1978 by the working group Arbeitsgemeinschaft Vor- und Frühbeschichte of the Heimatgemeinschaft Eckernförde e.V.. Much of the 108 enclosure stones of the rectangular long barrow were preserved. The foundations of missing stones had to be localized by their foundations. Some stood in situ on the south side. Most of the curbs, however, were tilted outwards and were covered by the spreading hills. After the restoration, the dimensions of the site were 60 x 5.5 m, with a height of up to 2.5 m.

The 3 dolmens lying across the long barrow are all on the southern long side. The middle dolmen was only discovered during the restoration work. It was found that the dolmen was originally in a round hill, which was later integrated into the long barrow.

From Eckernförde you drive the Waabser Chaussee road towards Waabs. After about 5 kilometers, turn right towards Karlsminde.
The site with its own parking lot is located after 500 m directly to the left of the street.

Highly recommended, if you are in the area!

P.S.: The image stabilizer on my camera didn’t work properly on this tour, so some of my images are unfortunately out of focus. Sorry for that.

Visited June 2020

taken from the on-site Megalithic Routes in Schleswig-Holstein information board:

The restored long barrow of Karlsminde

This burial site was restored in 1976-1978 by the working group Arbeitsgemeinschaft Vor- und Frühbeschichte of the Heimatgemeinschaft Eckernförde e.V. with a lot of voluntary support. Cooperation with archaeologists and conservationists made it possible to carry out an exemplary project to preserve a megalithic tomb. The goal of the restoration was the exemplary reconstruction of a possible condition of long barrow in the Neolithic period.

Landscape shaping
Schleswig-Holstein: the flat north of Germany? Not everywhere! The ice ages shaped Schleswig-Holstein’s surface. As flat as the marshland in the west is, the hills in the east are wavy. However, some minor elevations were not caused by the ice ages. They do not easily fit into the natural environment. But once the search is known, it is recognizable everywhere in the landscape: they are megalithic tombs. In many places they are also clustered in groups. Some are elongated, others are circular. Their stand positions in well-exposed places like here are also outstanding. This place was also unmistakable in the Neolithic period. So graves became markings of areas of influence of the burying group. As obvious landmarks, the megaliths were later used as landmarks. For example, Bronze Age trails, such as the Ox Trail, and burial sites are often close to the megalithic tombs of the Neolithic.