Nucleus

Between Nebel and Norddorf there are still three burial mounds: Klöwenhugh, Kanshugh and Makkanhugh. From these three Makkanhugh is the most ruined barrow. One can only guess its outlines, in a depression in the middle of the mound a single stone still peeks out.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find any information about archaeological findings or excavation on this burial mound.

From Nebel take the road Waasterstigh (mainly used as a cycle path to Norddorf), pass the cemetery on the right and turn right after about 350 m into Lütt-Elks-Weg. After another 270 m, turn left and follow this track. Makkanhugh lies in the field on the left after about 210 m.

Visited November 2019

300 m west of Steenodde lies the largest Bronze Age burial mound of the island of Amrum. Esenhugh is abound 4.7 m high and has a diameter of 26.5 m. The dolmen of Steenodde lies about 420 m to the south.
A viking burial ground with formerly 88 burial mounds lies close by.

To get to the burial mound drive of the road Stianoodswai towards Steenodde. At the point where the first property is located on the right, a narrow dirt road turns left at an archaeological information sign.

Esenhugh lies 170 m along this dirt road on the left.

Visited November 2019

taken from the on-site information board:

COMMUNITY NEBEL
Burial mound Esenhugh and burial ground Steenodde

The burial mound Esenhugh is 4.70 m high and 26.50 m in diameter and one of the largest burial mounds of Amrum. His age is unknown, possibly it was already created in the Stone Age or the Bronze Age.
The burial ground of Steenodde consists of originally at least 88 burial mounds, which were excavated already in the last century. They date back to the Viking Age (10th-11th centuries) and are about 2,500 years younger than the Esenhugh. The dead were mostly burned and buried in urns.
Other burial mounds (from the Bronze Age 1500-1200 BC) are located in the area.

About 650 m northwest of the burial mound Esenhugh and 350 m southeast from the sector light of Amrum/Nebel lies another round barrow in the middle of a field, probably from the Bronze Age: Klaffhugh (cliff high).

Unfortunately I couldn’t find any information about archaeological findings or excavation on this burial mound.

Visited November 2019

In Süddorf on Amrum, now a district of Nebel, are two burial mounds probably from the Bronze Age. Klaffhugh to the northeast and Hesshugh to the northwest.

Unfortunately I couldn’t find any information about archaeological findings or excavation on this burial mound.

From the L215 turn westward into the road Sösarper Strunwai and after about 425 m turn right (north) into Heeshughwai. After another 210 m (when the buildings end on the right side), turn right into Hiaswai and follow this small road to its end. Take the footpath to the north and after 85 m you’ll find Hesshugh in a field to the right.

Visited November 2019

The dolmen of Steenodde on the island of Amrum is located about 500 m southwest of the village, in a grove on the way Ual Hööw (High German “Alter Gottesdienst, in English “old worship service”). The megalithic tomb lies in a round hill of 4 m height with a diameter of 14 to 18 m. Ernst Sprockhoff listed the tomb as Nebel (Amrum) Grab 2 and assigned the number 12th. It is a rectangular dolmen with a passage and is oriented in northeast-southwestern direction. The visible stones are all in situ. On both long sides are each two support stones, a third support stone is on the southwestern narrow side. The chamber is closed by two capstones. On the other narrow side is half a support stone, in the gap is a threshold stone. The chamber inside is about 1.6 m × 0.9 m in size.

To get to the tomb drive of the road Stianoodswai towards Steenodde passing the famous Esenhugh burial mound on your left, until the road bends to the left. Turn right here into the small road Ual Hööw. The tomb lies opposite of the last property on the left, around 250 m after you enter the Ual Hööw road.

Visited November 2019

Dronninghoi (Danish: Dronning = queen høj = high so a rough translation might be Queens Hill) was used for a long period as a burial place. In the 19th century, Dronninghoi at 30 m in diameter was still 8-9 m high, today it measures only about 2 m in height.

The barrow was excavated in 1886 by W. Splieth.
The oldest tomb is a 2.7 m long Neolithic stone chamber (tomb C in the plan), grave goods can suggest on the Funnel Beaker Culture as builder of the tomb. West of the stone chamber, about in the middle of the hill, there was a tomb with a 1m thick cairn (Tomb E) and another cairn (D). To these tombs probably belongs a stone circle uncovered during the excavation, on the western edge of which two cup stones were found.

The other tombs are more recent. Worth mentioning here are especially the skeletons, which were found in grave B. In one of the skeletons, the skull was at the foot and confirmed the legend that in the burial mound a prince to be buried, the “Black Magret” (Margarette Samiria, the wife of the Danish King Christoph I) cut off the head in a duel by a list and defeated him.

If you plan to visit the site, you need strong nerves: The burial mound lies within a private property and the owner has placed a very kitschy ensemble of park bench, garden gnomes and solar lights in front of the burial mound (refer to my images).

Drive on the B201 through Schuby to the east. Shortly after a railway underpass, turn right into the road Schleswiger Straße. Turn right again and drive to the end of the street, the tomb lies within the garden of the last house on the left.

Visited November 2019

The Idstedter Räuberhöhle is a passage grave and one of the few megalithic tomb surviving in its original form in Schleswig-Holstein. The 4.4 m long, 1.5 m to 2 m wide and 1.50 m high chamber consists of 9 supporting and 3 capstones. The former 3.5 m long passage is only partially preserved. A stone lying in front of the mound could have been one of the capstones of the passage. The site is completely hidden except for the passage in the 2.5 m high round hill, with a diameter of 17 m.

From Schleswig drive north on the Flensburger Straße in the direction of Flensburg. Approximately 450 m after the junction to “Wilhelmslust” lies the tomb on the right side of the road, about 15 m in the forest.

Visited November 2019

taken from the on-site infromation board:

IDSTEDT COMMUNITY
- Megalithic tomb “Idstedter Räuberhöhle” -

Tomb from the early Stone Age (passage grave); built about 2900-2600 BC. One of the few megalithic tomb from Schleswig-Holstein preserved in its original form.
A total of 9 support stones and 3 capstones, joints exposed with dry masonry; from the passage only 4 stones; length 4.30 m, width 1.80 m, height 1.50 m. Hill mantle of stones.
The builders of such tombs belonged to the so-called Funnel Beaker Culture. They were the first peasant population to cultivate agriculture and livestock.

Directly on the road Ellunder Weg and near the Danish border lies the extended dolmen Harrislee 3. Originally the site was located about 150 m further southeast. The chamber was found and uncovered at the excavation of the Rovhøj, a round hill about 37 meters in diameter and about 1.8 meters high. The dolmen was erected after the excavation at its present location. The long sides of the chamber, which is about two meters in size, consist of two pairs of supporting stones. At the north end is a strong end stone, opposite a half-high entry stone. There is only one capstone left, it carries numerous small cups.

To reach the tomb, drive west on the Ellunder Weg from Flensburg-Harrislee towards Ellund. After approx. 1.4 km the road Mühlenweg forks right, left forks the road Wiesenweg. Park here and find the tomb south of the road about 15 meters east of the crossroads, access is from the Ellunder Weg.

Visited November 2019

taken from the on-site information board:

Death sites of our ancestors

In front of us are boulders of a stone burial chamber, which were recovered from a burial mound about 200 m east in the Stiftungsland Schäferhaus. Archaeologists reconstructed the original position of the stones: The stone chamber was rectangular in plan. Their upright standing boulders were covered with a large rock slab. On one narrow side was an entrance through which the dead were brought into the chamber.
During the excavations of the burial mound “Rovhøj”, the archeologists discovered pottery shards and tools made of fire and flint stone in this burial chamber. They were laid in the tomb together with the dead.

A look back:
After the ice age, the landscape in Schleswig-Holstein and Jutland was barren – the people lived from hunting and gathering. They followed the migration behavior of the hunting animals and the supply of plant food. This unsteady way of life is typical of the Paleolithic. In the period from about 8,000 BC the climate warmed up, and plants and animals thrived in Schleswig-Holstein. As a result of the improved Paleolithic diet, e.g. through hunting and fishing people were already relatively stationary. The epoch lasted until the end of the fifth millennium BC and is called Mesolithic.

With the Neolithic approximately 4.300 to 2.300 BC the sedentary lifestyle spread. Food was no longer just collected or hunted, but consciously produced. The people now cleared parts of the forest and farmed, kept livestock and lived in sturdy wooden houses.
The craftsmanship reached a climax (stone processing, weapons and tool making, pottery). Due to a special vessel shape, a section of this period is referred to as “funnel beaker culture”.

From about the middle of the 4th millennium BC, the “funnel beaker people” built large burial mounds for their deceased with stone chambers, which they repeatedly occupied with funerals. These megalithic tombs were once found in thousands in northern Europe. There are two different types of megalithic chambers today: “Dolmen” (Breton stone table), with about 2 m² of interior space, or the larger “passage graves” with up to 12 m long burial chambers.
  
In the popular name “Hünengrab” (Hüne = giant) ideas are expressed that megalithic tombs were built by giants.

Only 100 m north of Calden II on the same track you’ll find an information board for the Caldener Erdwerk. Four stone pillars mark the dimension of this impressive enclosure (470 x 390 m). Unique to such earthworks or enclosure was seven house like installations within the double ditch.

Unfortuantely there are no visibile traces of this once stunning site anymore.

To get to the site, use the directions of Calden II and simply walk further 100 m along the track.

Visited November 2019

taken from the on-site information board Eco Pfad Archäologie Calden:

The Neolithic earthwork Calden

On this area between the Kassel-Calden airport in the north and the forest in the south, the darkly colored traces of a double ditch were discovered in 1976 through aerial photographs. Archaeological excavations (1988 – 1992) confirmed that it is a Neolithic earthwork. It was built around 3700 BC.
Since 2006, four newly built stone steles (see plan, sign o) mark the extent of the earthwork.

Construction of the earthwork
The double ditch has an extension of 470 x 390 m. The excavated earth was probably piled up before, between and behind the ditches to ramparts. On the inside of the earthwork was a double palisade fence, the interior of which was probably also filled with excavated earth so that a person could look over the palisades.

The ditch work is interrupted in seven places. Here foundations of wooden, house-like installations were found. Each installation consisted of two rooms to be entered from the inside and the outside of the earthwork. The size and construction of the wooden fixtures are so far unique in European history.
Inside the earthwork, there were no development remnants or other settlement activities (such as hearths), but a younger urnfield grave of the Hallstatt period (around 800 BC).

Settlement or sanctuary?
The builders of Calden’s earthwork were farmers of the surrounding villages. The complex building structure suggests a central organization, which had to take care of planning, material procurement and the supply of the numerous workers.

The earthwork was probably on a trade route between Fritzlar Bucht and the Warbuger Börde, where sites of the same age were discovered. The function of earthworks is not always clear. Depending on the state of research, an interpretation in the secular field is possible, such as marketplace, settlement, meeting place or refuge.

The interpretation of the earthwork of Calden refers to the religious area as a sanctuary or place of worship: The finds found in the ditches such as animal bones, deer antlers and human bones point to ritual, religious acts. Even later, when the piles and palisades had long since passed, people used the earthworks or its ditches. Intermittent use lasted from the 37th to the 19th century BC. That means 1800 years!

Calden II lies immediately south of the Caldener Erdwerk, about 100 meters outside the double ditch. The grave was cut in 1969 when laying a water pipe, but interpreted as a ruined burial mound and not further investigated. Therefore, the grave was excavated only in the context of the excavations at the Caldener Erdwerk in 1990 – 1992.

The gallery grave is oriented southwest-northeast, with access to the northeast. The outer length is 11.9 m, the maximum width 3.8 m and consisted of 18 wall stones (eight pairs of supporting stones and one endstone each). The height of the chamber was about 1.4 m in the access area and 1.05 m in the back. As with Calden I and Züschen I, the endstone in the entrance area was a probably a soul hole. The number of capstones can only be estimated, it is believed that there were seven. The gaps between the wall stones were filled with dry masonry.

The easiest way to get to the tomb is to park either at the Calden Waldschwimmbad (forest swimming pool) or at the Lindenrondell at the end of the Lindenallee. From here, take the forest road to the west. At an intersection (on your right is a field), continue straight ahead on the main path that leads northwest now. After approx. 300 m you exit the forest and continue on the path along the edge of the forest (left). After 150 m, the trail turns west again and after another 625 m you reach another crossroads. Here you take the path to the right and after 90 m you reach the tomb, which is on the left of the path. The Caldener Erdwerk is just 100 meters further north along the same track.

Visited November 2019

taken from the on-site information board Eco Pfad Archäologie Calden:

In addition to the Caldener earthwork, two so-called gallery graves (also passage graves or stone chamber graves) were discovered in Calden and archaeologically examined.

Tomb I is located in close proximity to the outskirts and was investigated in 1948.
Tomb II is located about 100 meters south of the earthworks along the wayside towards the forest. It was fully investigated in 1990 – 92.

Tomb I was built in the 34th century BC and used for 200 years as a place of burial.
Tomb II followed in the 32th century BC in the same construction with an occupancy until the 29th century BC.

Construction
Both tombs consist of paired wall stones, an endstone and a – presumed – soul hole stone in the entrance area. Capstones were also used as coverings that lay on the wall stones. They are made of quartzite and come from the immediate area. The interstices in the walls were sealed in drywall technique. The tombs were probably covered with a mound. The dimensions of the graves can be reconstructed at 12.60 m (grave I) or 11.70 m; the interior was about 2 meters wide. The ceiling height in the entrance area was approximately 1.40 m. Due to the rising ground of the grave, it was only possible to crawl in the back of the burial chamber.

Burials
Gallery graves were the burial place of a whole community. Also in the Calden graves were numerous skeletons and their remains. The original number of those buried here is extrapolated to 100-200 (tomb I) or over 200.

Examination of the bones revealed that infants as well as adults of all ages were buried here. The bone features indicate a hard-working peasant society with an average life expectancy of 30 to 40 years.

The survivors pushed the dead through the “soul hole”, a circular, knocked out of the stone opening in the tomb entrance. Inside the tomb, they placed their heads in the direction of the entrance. The dead person did not receive any burial except for his personal belongings, such as a chain of animal teeth or a blade of flint stone. Food and drink offerings were deposited by the survivors in the entrance area outside the burial chamber. Broken drums of clay are mute witnesses of a death suit.

Calden I (also known as the stone cist of Calden) is a megalithic site of the type gallery grave. The term gallery grave for German megalithic sites of a certain type (“long arcade”) is a translation from the French (Allée couverte) and was due to the similarity of the German with East French sites.

The tomb was discovered during plowing in 1947 and scientifically examined for the first time. In 1988, the new excavations were started as part of the Calden project. The discovered capstones of the stone cist were reconstructed on the southern outskirts of Calden.

The tomb is actually quite nice, but unfortunately it is located directly opposite a school and a pole with a small information board was placed directly in front of the tomb, so that the general impression is rather mixed.

The easiest way to find the tomb is to turn off at Schloss Wilhelmshöhe into the Lindenallee. At the end turn right into the street Zum Lindenrondell and follow it north to the end. Then turn left into the road Weserstraße. The grave is then about 250 m on the left side.

Visited November 2019

taken from the on-site information board Eco Pfad Archäologie Calden:

From the district Calden two gallery graves (also passage or stone chamber graves) are known. Tomb II lies in a westerly direction at the edge of the forest and was examined in 1990/1992. Tomb I was originally on the field of the farmer Georg Lückel, west of Calden. After the excavation, the stones were built at this point to a new ensemble.

At the found location a wall stone was pulled out of the ground in 1947 because it bothered when plowing. According to a note from primary school teacher Justus Schüler from Calden an archaeological investigation took place here in 1948. It turned out that the tomb was badly destroyed even before its discovery. Pits filled with ceramics testify that in the first centuries after Christ birth people settled here and partially destroyed the grave. Also in the Middle Ages interventions took place. Nevertheless, the excavation was able to recover skeletal remains, finds and wall stones that give a picture of the original site.

The burial chamber was more than 10 meters long and 2 meters wide. The entrance probably formed a large stone with a hole in it. Such “doorstones” (soul holes) are also from other graves, e.g. Züschen at Fritzlar, known. The differently sized wall stones were buried in the ground so that their upper edge reached about the same height. On it were capstones, as they were used in the reconstruction.

Inside, there were numerous human bones, most of which were confused. Probably it was originally 100 to 200 buried persons. Her average age was 30 years. The men were between 1.59 m and 1.71 m tall, the body height of women varies between 1.46 m and 1.59 m.

Among the grave goods the large number of arrowheads stands out. They are made of flint, which probably comes from the Baltic Sea, and local slate. The stone tips prove the addition of bow and arrow. The wooden components and bowstrings have passed in the ground.

There were also some pierced animal teeth. They come from dogs, pigs, cattle, brown bears and wildcats. The animal teeth were worn as chain jewelery.

The decoration of the ceramic found in the tomb and scientific methods allow a relatively accurate dating of the tomb. It was created between 3500 and 3400 BC. For about 200 years it was the burial place of a small village.

The stone cist of Flögeln was covered by a burial mound with a diameter of about 28 m and a height of 2.3 m. It formed the center of a large burial ground, which was archaeologically examined since 1956. The stone cist is eccentric in a round stone setting of 8.5 m diameter. The cist consists of five plate-like side stones and the capstone. It is 1.45 m long, 0.94 m wide and 0.52 m high. The bottom was mainly a 1.10 × 0.6 m stone slab.

To get to the stone cist you drive from Westwanna (north) coming immediately after the village entrance of Flögeln to the right (west) into the street Im Seegen. Follow this road for about 2 km before turning left (south) and after another 500 m you will see the stone cist signposted on the right side of the road.

Visited June 2019

taken from the on-site information board:

The stone cist of Flögeln

Even at the turn of the century, the stone cist was hidden in a heathland under a huge grave mound and formed the center of a large burial ground, which is largely destroyed today. When, in the post-war years, the destruction process also included this monument, the excavation of the mound began in 1956. The excavations were completed in the summer of 1957. In the course of the investigations, a cremation burial of the younger Bronze Age was found in the mound cover.

After lifting the capstone, an undisturbed burial could be documented: It showed the discoloration of the funeral. The buried was about 1.80 m tall, was on the left with his head at the southeast end of the tomb with his legs up. Although the burial itself was without grave goods, but in the hill structure of a stone cist covering the roll stone packing and sprinkled over sand some shards of the late Neolithic of the early 2 millennium BC were found.

Comparable graves are known in greater numbers in Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark, in the district of Cuxhaven, the site is unique.

About 3.5 km south of Westerwanna lies a group of three tombs: Westerwanna 08, Westerwanna 09 and Westerwanna 10. Westerwanna 08 and Westerwanna 09 are both heavily destroyed, Westerwanna 10 is by far the best of the three tombs.

Westerwanna 10 is a passage grave. The chamber is about 7.5 m x 3.5 m, all supporting stones seem to be in situ. From the once four capstones, two are missing, one is fallen into the chamber and the westernmost is broken in two pieces. This massive capstone has several cupmarks. Around the chamber I found at least three bigger stones in the proximity, which could be the remains of an enclosure.

Drive from Westerwanna southward on the Speckenweg. After you passed Wester-Süderleda, the road turn left, turn right (south) here on the K18. After about 1.5 km the road forks, take the left road Am hohen Kopf. After about 600 m (and 275 m after driving into the forest), there is a parking area on the left (for Westerwanna 08 and Westerwanna 09 park here), park here. Continue for another 300 m, before a small blue sign on the left side shows you the way to the tomb (from the south the sign probably better recognizable). Parking is available at the roadside on the left side. Access is quite easy, simply follow the forest track marked by the blue sign from the road for about 365 m, which leads straight to the tomb.

Visited June 2019

About 3.5 km south of Westerwanna lies a group of three tombs: Westerwanna 08, Westerwanna 09 and Westerwanna 10. Westerwanna 08 and Westerwanna 09 are both heavily destroyed, Westerwanna 10 is by far the best of the three tombs.

Only three stones are still visible, the other stones are either overgrown or removed. To find the grave a GPS device is recommended.

Drive from Westerwanna southward on the Speckenweg. After you passed Wester-Süderleda, the road turn left, turn right (south) here on the K18. After about 1.5 km the road forks, take the left road Am hohen Kopf. After about 600 m (and 275 m after driving into the forest), there is a parking area on the left, park here.

Cross the road and enter the forest track on the other side of the road. Walk west for about 360 m, the track turns right just before the edge of the forest. Follow the track to the right for about 75 m. Westerwanna 08 is located then only 10 m right of the way in the wood. Continue eastward through the wood for about 50 m. The tomb is located on top of a small mound.

Visited June 2019

About 3.5 km south of Westerwanna lies a group of three tombs: Westerwanna 08, Westerwanna 09 and Westerwanna 10. Westerwanna 08 and Westerwanna 09 are both heavily destroyed, Westerwanna 10 is by far the best of the three tombs.

Only three stones within a flat barrow are all that remains from Westerwanna 08.

Drive from Westerwanna southward on the Speckenweg. After you passed Wester-Süderleda, the road turn left, turn right (south) here on the K18. After about 1.5 km the road forks, take the left road Am hohen Kopf. After about 600 m (and 275 m after driving into the forest), there is a parking area on the left, park here.

Cross the road and enter the forest track on the other side of the road. Walk west for about 360 m, the track turns right just before the edge of the forest. Follow the track to the right for about 75 m. The tomb is located then only 10 m right of the way in the wood.

Visited June 2019

Westerwanna 12 is located near a side street on a private field. During my visit, a herd of cattle grazed in the field and the pasture was fenced with barbed wire. That’s why I only took a few zoom shots.

According to some sources, only the four capstones are visible, which are all still in situ. All other remains seems to be sunken into or have become overgrown by the moor.

Drive eastwards through Ahlen-Falkenberg on the Ahlenstraße. In a slight left bend, about 700 m after the village end, turn right into the street Am Reiherholz. The tomb is located after two slight left turns about 800 meters on the right under a group of trees fenced in the field.

Visited June 2019

Westerwanna 07 is an impressive passage grave, located on private land, but fortuantely now with an public access path, so a visit is quite easy. The chamber has three pair of support stones and an end stone on each end of the chamber. All uprights and the western capstone are still in situ. The size of the chamber size is approximately 5,4m x 3,5m. The easternmost capstone is missing, the middle capstone is broken in two halfs. There is a large tree growing in the center of the chamber, which damages the tomb’s structure.

The alternative name Karlskirche (Karl = Charles) derives from a legend that Charlemagne came to this tomb on his way north across the moorland.

You drive on the Ahlenstraße from west to east through Ahlen-Falkenberg and turn right at the second street (south), which is named Seestraße. After about 500 m you should see a green bench and a sign on the right, showing the entrance to a public path, that leads in about 100 m directly to the tomb.

Visited June 2019

Westerwanna 06 is fenced in a field under a group of birch trees and is considerable overgrown. You only see three capstones, the rest of the tomb is probably sunken in the moor.

You drive on the Ahlenstraße from west to east through Ahlen-Falkenberg and turn right at the first street (south). After about 540 m, the tomb lies just a few meters from the road in a field on the ride side. To better recognize the structures, a visit in winter is recommended.

Visited June 2019

Midlum 2 is a passage grave consisting of four capstones, three of which are still in situ. One of the two middle capstones lies broken in the chamber. Four support stones per side and two end stones formed the walls of the chamber, one of the support stones on the southeast side is missing. On one of the capstones are some small cups.

To get to the tomb you have to walk a little, because it is a bit away in the forest. You drive from Wanhöden on the Wanhödener Straße towards Wursterheide. Even before turning left into the forest to the tomb Midlum 1, take the road An der Ludenhütte to the left and head south towards Midlumer Heide or Midlumer Moor. Park the car on a left-side bend of the road immediately on the edge of the forest. A wide forest road leads here to the right in the direction of (north) west. After about 750 m you come to a crossroads, here you take the way to the left in a southerly direction. After another 360 m you come to another intersection and take the path to the right. The tomb is then about 200 meters directly on the right side of the path.

Visited June 2019

From the megalithic tomb Midlum 1 only the western part of a larger burial chamber is preserved. A large capstone and 3 supporting stones are still preserved in situ and look like the remains of a simple dolmen, as well as one can still see clearly the remains of an approximately 6 m long burial mound, which suggests that it might be a passage grave, typical for the region. The alternative name Henkenstein (roughly translated to hangman stone or stone where someone was hanged) suggests that the tomb may have served as a court place or a place of worship earlier.

Drive from Wanhöden on the Wanhödener Straße towards Wursterheide. Shortly before you pass under the Autobahn A27, a road turns left into the forest. Follow this road and park your car on the left, just before you reach a small bridge over the A27. Cross the road and walk towards the bridge, about 100 m before the A27 a small beaten track (watch out for the wooden sign), leads into the woods. The tomb is only 50 m in the woods on a small clearing, you should already see it from the start of the beaten track. Apart from the noise of the highway, a dreamy and enchanted place.

Visited June 2019

Wanhöden is in a rather bad state of preservation. It has a northwest-southeast oriented burial chamber of 1.6 m width and length of about 7 m. From the chamber, only the northwestern end is preserved. The endstone and the two adjoining support stones of the long sides are still in situ with one capstone resting on them.

The tomb is located on the northwestern outskirts of Wanhöden directly on the edge of a dirt road. Drive from Wanhöden on the Wanhödener Strasse northwest towards Altenwalde. Shortly after passing the A27 motorway and just before the road turns right, continue straight ahead. After about 70 m, a dirt road turns left (southwest), here you park the car and walk about 125 m to the tomb, which is on the right of the path.

Visited June 2019

taken from the on-site information board:

Megalithic tomb

The tomb, also known as “Riesenhütte” (giant hut), today still consists of three support stones and a capstone. Excavations in 1979 showed that the interior dimensions of the chamber used to be around 7.00 m x 1.60 m.

The tomb was built in the Neolithic period by the members of the so-called “Funnel Beaker culture” (3rd millennium BC) and at the turn of the 2nd millennium BC once again used by the members of a younger culture (“Bell Beaker Culture”) as a burial place. A 1979 requested impression of the preserved chamber is located in the Lower Saxony State Museum (Hannover).

About 4 km northwest of Westerwanna lies within a radius of about 300 m, a group of five megalithic tombs, consisting of the tombs Westerwanna 01, Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03, Westerwanna 04 and Westerwanna 14.

Westerwanna 14 lies isolated about 200 m southwest of Westerwanna 01 under a group of trees. It seems to be the youngest discovery of this cluster of five tombs, as it didn’t have a Sprockhoff number and it seems not mentioned in older literature. The only visible remains of the tomb is an impressive capstone.

Drive from Westerwanna on the K5 (Feuerstättenweg) to the west and first passes the burial mound Gravenberg. After approx. 2.8 km, turn left into Süderheide and then turn right into Heideweg. Drive along until you come to a T-crossing (passing Westerwanna 01, Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03 and Westerwanna 04 on your left) and turn left (southwest). Park at the end of the road, the tomb is located about 100 m on a mound on the left under a group of trees.

Visited June 2019

About 4 km northwest of Westerwanna lies within a radius of about 300 m, a group of five megalithic tombs, consisting of the tombs Westerwanna 01, Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03, Westerwanna 04 and Westerwanna 14.

Westerwanna 04 is the remainder of a long barrow (Hunebed), whose 30 m long earth embankment with a deep burial in the middle is still to be recognized. From the enclosure and the chamber only a few scattered stones are preserved. It lies about 100 m southeast of Westerwanna 01 and 140 m northeast of Westerwanna 02.

The tomb lies under a tree group in the middle of a field. So a visit in winter might be the better choice.

Drive from Westerwanna on the K5 (Feuerstättenweg) to the west and first passes the burial mound Gravenberg. After approx. 2.8 km, turn left into Süderheide and then turn right into Heideweg. After about 400 m you can see left hand about 150 m from the road in a field a smaller group of trees under which the Westerwanna 01 is located and 90 m to the left another group of trees, where the tombs Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03 and Westerwanna 04 are located.

Visited June 2019

About 4 km northwest of Westerwanna lies within a radius of about 300 m, a group of five megalithic tombs, consisting of the tombs Westerwanna 01, Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03, Westerwanna 04 and Westerwanna 14.

Westerwanna 03, a passage grave, lies only 80 m southeast of Westerwanna 02. The state of preservation is moderate, the site is heavily overgrown and surrounded by bushes and trees. Of the four capstones of the chamber, only the western one remains. Two more capstones are still present, as well as seven supporting and one endstone.

The tomb lies under a tree group in the middle of a field and as said, pretty overgrown. So a visit in winter might be the better choice.

Drive from Westerwanna on the K5 (Feuerstättenweg) to the west and first passes the burial mound Gravenberg. After approx. 2.8 km, turn left into Süderheide and then turn right into Heideweg. After about 400 m you can see left hand about 150 m from the road in a field a smaller group of trees under which the Westerwanna 01 is located and 90 m to the left another group of trees, where the tombs Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03 and Westerwanna 04 are located.

Visited June 2019

About 4 km northwest of Westerwanna lies within a radius of about 300 m, a group of five megalithic tombs, consisting of the tombs Westerwanna 01, Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03, Westerwanna 04 and Westerwanna 14.

Westerwanna 02, likely a grand dolmen or passage grave, lies about 225 m south of Westerwanna 01 and 140 m southwest of Westerwanna 4. The state of preservation is presumably perfect. Four large capstones are visible, but the largest part of the chamber lies still in the boggy soil.

The tomb lies under a tree group in the middle of a field, so a visit in winter might be the better choice.

Drive from Westerwanna on the K5 (Feuerstättenweg) to the west and first passes the burial mound Gravenberg. After approx. 2.8 km, turn left into Süderheide and then turn right into Heideweg. After about 400 m you can see left hand about 150 m from the road in a field a smaller group of trees under which the Westerwanna 01 is located and 90 m to the left another group of trees, where the tombs Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03 and Westerwanna 04 are located.

Visited June 2019

About 4 km northwest of Westerwanna lies within a radius of about 300 m, a group of five megalithic tombs, consisting of the tombs Westerwanna 01, Westerwanna 02, Westerwanna 03, Westerwanna 04 and Westerwanna 14.

Westerwanna 01, a grand dolmen, is the northernmost tomb in the group. The state of preservation is pretty good. The 4 m long and 3 m wide burial chamber consists of five support stones and two capstones and is oriented north-south. Around the burial chamber one finds isolated stones, which were possibly kerbstones or stones of a stone circle.

The grave is under a tree group and is pretty overgrown during summertime, so a visit in winter might be better to recognize all the stones.

Drive from Westerwanna on the K5 (Feuerstättenweg) to the west and first passes the burial mound Gravenberg. After approx. 2.8 km, turn left into Süderheide and then turn right into Heideweg. After about 400 m you can see left hand about 150 m from the road in a field a smaller group of trees under which the tomb is located.

Visited June 2019

The impressive remnants of this passage grave are located in a small grove about 2 km west of Westerwanna, directly on the road Postweg. Parking is easy at the edge of the road.

All three capstones, four pairs of support stones both endstones are present, though not all in situ. From the entrance on the southeast side are still four fallen stones to see. The northern capstone carries over 20 cup marks. The chamber is still surrounded by the considerable remains of the former mound, the enclosure stones are missing.

In the immediate vicinity of the tomb there are numerous burial mounds. They are the remainder of a larger burial ground.

Visited June 2019

The Gravenberg is located northwest of Westerwanna, on a small hill north of the road Feuerstättenweg. A small sign points from the road in a small dirt road.

In 1738 the first urns were found during an excavation. In 1869, the Gravenberg was opened again in the hope of finding more antiques.

According to legend, the Süderleda Count is to be buried here with princely jewelery. In addition to the Gravenberg, the all around old Saxon Urn Cemetery has gained supra-regional fame.

Visited June 2019

Due to the threat of sinking into the marshy soil the remains of the tomb were excavated in 1963 and moved four kilometers from the original location in front of the Wanna school, a few meters north of the road Landstraße (L118). Here the chamber was reconstructed, consisting of 5 capstones, 10 supporting stones at the long sides and 2 further uprights at the narrow sides. A passage is not recognizable, so if this was once was a passage grave (and the passage was not reconstructed) or a grand dolmen is difficult to determine.

To get to the tomb, drive from Westerwanna towards Osterwanna. Just after you enter the village, turn north (left) into the road Am Mühlteich, the tomb lies then about 50 m to the right under a group of trees on a school campus.

Overall a nice tomb, except the atmosphere suffers a bit from the new location.

Visited June 2019

The tomb has a roughly west-easterly oriented burial chamber with a width of 1.3 m; the length can not be determined exactly. In situ are still the western end stone, as seen from the west, the first and second support stone of the northern and the first and third support stone of the southern long wall. The western capstone still rests in its original position. The following capstone lies at one end on the northern support stone, the southern end rests on the chamber floor. The eastern end of the burial chamber is not preserved.

The tomb is located west-northwest of Dobrock and northwest of Weissenmoor in the forest of Wingst. In several other places of this forest there used to be other megalithic tombs of unknown numbers. In Dobrock drive on the Krönckeweg to the west. After about 1.3 km you will reach a forest parking lot, park here. Take the main forest path to the north (right) and walk for about 550 m. At the Neue Königstanne (New King’s Fir) there is a path leading to the west, take this path and after another 80 m a small trail branches at a sign to the left, which leads directly to the tomb.

Visited June 2019

Lamstedt is a very well-preserved passage grave with a trapezoidal layout consisting of 8 support stones and one endstone on the broad end side (the other is missing). On the support stones are still three huge capstones, the fourth lies broken in the southeastern chamber area. Clearly recognizable is an inward inclination of the supporting stones of the approximately four-meter-long chamber. A gap in the middle of the southwestern long side marks the entrance.

The passage grave is located in a clearing in the forest of Westerberg north of Lamstedt. You drive on the K21 from Lamstedt in the direction of Wingst. Approximately 500 m after passing the Steingarten Westerberg, a sign shows the way to the right in the forest and you can park your car. Follow the forest path straight on and after about 150 m you will pass a nice burial mound on the right, before turning right onto the forest path after approx. 450 m (from the road). After another 60 meters the tomb is on the right side in a small clearing.

Visited June 2019

North of Meckelstedt lie the remains of a series of burial mounds, which according to a count in 1893 consisted of more than 30 burial mounds. In 1896 one of the mounds was opened and under a stone packing a stone cist consisting of slabs and boulders was found. The Bronze Age stone cist consists of seven stone stones and five cover plates.

The content of the stone cist of Meckelstedt is one of the most important Bronze Age grave finds (bronze sword, axe and dagger among other things).

At Meckelstedt 1 turn into the road Steinbergshörner Strasse (a sign indicates “Residents only”, which I ignored). After about 750 m take the road Hohe Berge, which turn off to the left, and you’ll reach the stone cist, which lies directly left (west of the road) after 650 m.

Visited June 2019

This once probably impressive tomb is now heavily destroyed, a mound is not visible anymore. The burial chamber is oriented west-east and has a width of 1.8 m. According to a report, the tomb had still eight support stones and two capstones in the 19th century. When Ernst Sprockhoff examined the tomb in 1927, only two support stones of the southern long side, one of the northern long side, and a capstone resting on them were present. In this state, the tomb is still today. The capstone has a length of 3 m, a width of 2 m and a thickness of 1.5 m and is littered with numerous cups on its southeastern surface.

The tomb is located only 2.5 km northwest of Großenhain and lies directly north of the through road Meckelstedter Strasse near the eastern end of the village under a few trees.

Visited June 2019

The tomb is unfortunately heavily destroyed, so its kind of tomb or its original appearance can not be reconstructed. The burial chamber is oriented approximately northwest-southeast. Only two wall stones of the southwest long side and one of the northwest long side are preserved in situ. On these three stones rests a large capstone with a length of 2.6 m, a width of 1.7 m and a thickness of 0.7 m.

Großenhain, also called Dansenstein (Low German for dancing stone) is located about 2 km north of Großenhain at the highest point under a grove of trees in the midst of fields, so that you can see the picturesque tomb already from a distance. Although pretty much destroyed and only of average size, the tomb is one of the kind that which surrounds a special aura.

Drive on the L119 from Großenhain towards Meckelstedt. Around 2 km afte you leave Großenhain, the road Neue Siedlung branches off to the right. Follow this road for approximately 575 m and park your car here where the road bends right. Walk along the road for another 50 m, then take the field track to the left, which leads along bushes on the right straight into a northern direction. Follow this track for about 400 m, you should already see the tomb on the highest point of the fields to the right side.

Visited June 2019

The stone cist in the Feldmark Rade was discovered 1949 and was restored in 2014 by the AG praktische Archäologie (working group practical archeology) of the district Harburg.

The cist has a length of 2.80 meters and a mean width of 1.50 at a height of 0.80 meters. On the two long sides were each 3 support stones as in the large Megalithic tombs with the straight surface inside. The gaps were filled with small stones. Strange is the strong inside inclination of the support stones. As they are all inclined at the same angle inward, it was assumed that this intentionally happened to use shorter capstones.

To get to the stone cist at Rade you drive from the motorway exit Rade on the B3 north. After about 1.3 km turn right into the road Grauener Heide and follow it for about 550 m to the end. At the access road to a private house you leave the car and continue on the following forest road. After about 600 m, follow the main path, which turns rectangular at the right (south). After approx. 160 m, a barely visible path leads off to the left. Follow this path and after about 60 m you reach the stone cist, which is on the right side of the path.

Visited May 2019

Unfortunately, the tomb, also popularly known as Margaretenstein, is a rather heavily damaged site with a burial chamber oriented in an east-west direction. In situ are the western support stone and the first of the southern longitudinal side. Between both is also a rest of the filling with small stones preserved. Other supporting stones and capstones are relocated and partly shattered. It was probably originally a five-yoke chamber.

The megalithic tomb is located north of Wennerstorf, a district of Wenzendorf, south of the A1 autobahn. Take the path north out of Wennerstorf. After a right and a left turn, a path leads to the left with a barrier into the forest. North of the path and from this not visible lies the tomb on a small hill after about 175 meters.

Visited May 2019

From this once exceptionally large site today only a modest remainder left. During the record by Ernst Sprockhoff in 1967, only three enclosure stones of the southwestern long side and the western cornerstone of the northwestern narrow side were found in situ. Another in situ stone is walled in the corner of a house. Three other stones are no longer in their original position, one is split. According to a report from 1813, the tomb had a northwest-southeast oriented hunebed 70 meters long and 5.4 meters wide. Of the enclosure were still 34 stones available, which corresponded to less than a quarter of the original inventory. The burial chamber was 11 meters from one end of the hunebed. It had a length of 10.5 m, a width of 2.4 m and a height of 1.75 m and was a so-called Emsland chamber consited of 15 support stones and four capstones.

The tomb lies nowadays in the driveway of two family homes directly in the village Steinbeck, southwest of the crossing of the B75 and Wenzendorfer Straße. The overall state is poor, so a visit is recommended only for real enthusiasts.

Visited May 2019

The tomb is located west of Emsen in the Nenndorfer Interessentenforst, just 500 m north of the autobahn A 1.

Although missing all enclosing stones and most of the capstones, nevertheless Nenndorf is a very nice passage grave and all the effort worth finding it. The burial chamber is still deepened in the burial mound, so that one can hardly recognize the grave from the approaching path. The enclosure, from which unfortunately no stones are preserved, was with 55 m length and 8 m width larger than that of Klecken. The burial chamber lies in the southwestern part of the enclosure. It has a length of 5 m, a width of 1.5 m and a height of 1.5 m, all support stones are still in situ. Overall, the chamber has one endstone on the narrow sides and four pairs of support stones on the long sides. Between the two northeastern stones of the southeastern long side is a gap, which is followed by a wall stone pair of the passage. Of the capstones only a fragment was found, which probably belonged to the northeastern capstone.

In Emsen from the K13 take the Mienenbütteler Weg. After about 500 m you’ll reach a crossing, either park you car here or continue in a southwestern direction for another 600 m (if your car is suitable for this terrain), before you’ll reach the forest. From here a forest path leads in a western direction, walk this path for about 175 m, then turn left to walk for further 275 m in a southern direction. You’ll reach a T-crossing, turn right here. Walk for 325 m on the path, after that look out for the mound, which is only 30 m north of this path.

Highly recommended if your in this area.

Visited May 2019

The site has a flat, round hill bank. In it are the remains of the northwest-southeast oriented burial chamber. In situ are still the northwestern endstone and five support stones of the northeastern long side, of which the middle one, however, is slightly shifted inwards, as an overturned capstone rests on it. The mighty capstone has some drill holes.

The tomb is located about 90m west of the radio tower Langenrehm under a row of trees at the edge of a field. Coming from Emsen, drive north on the Emsener Dorfstrasse in the direction of Langenrehm. After about 1.5 km you reach a crossroads, here you turn right into the street Am Hamboken. Follow this road for about 280 m, before turning left onto the street Diekkoppel into a residential area. Here you park the car and follow the road to the north on foot. After about 110m the road ends, a dirt road leads then between the houses and a paddock around a field directly to the grave.

Visited May 2019

taken from the on-site information board:

Megalithic tomb from the Neolithic Emsen-Langenrehm

Around 5,500 years ago – and thus long before the construction of the pyramids – the custom was spreading among the people of northern Germany to bury the dead in megalithic tombs. These sites were used repeatedly and over a longer period of time as a tomb.

The Hohe Stein (High Stone) at Langenrehm is a so-called passage grave: it had on one side an access, through which you got into the burial chamber originally covered with a mound. The grave was destroyed long ago by stone seekers, who smashed the large boulders and processed into building material. The small, long oval depressions that run in two rows over the many tonne capstone are typical signs that someone had tried to break this boulder with iron wedges.

Excavations in 1931 and 1934 were used to recover some finds from the grave. These are stone utensils and tomb ceramics from around 3200 BC.

For thousands of years, megalithic tombs were the only permanently visible structures in the landscape and therefore always had a great effect on people.

Around 2000 BC the Hohe Stein was used a second time by people who also buried their relatives here. Finally, between 500 BC and Christ’s birth the deceased were buried a third time in the mound that covered the burial chamber.

This tomb is in rather poor condition. A mound is not visible. The burial chamber is probably oriented northeast-southwest, three support stones and a capstone have been preserved.

The tomb is located in a private garden, so I just could take some pictures from a road nearby.

The site is located on the outskirts of Buxtehude in the Altkloster district at the point where the street Am Klöterbusch leads into the entrance to the grounds of a riding hall.

Visited May 2019

The complex consists of four large long barrows, each containing an extended dolmen transversely to the longitudinal axis. A fifth long barrow was still present in the 19th century.

The four enclosures of medium length are located west of the village, (direction Bliedersdorf) in a light beech grove called the Dohrn. Their borders are still largely complete. The extended dolmen originally had two capstones, but are only preserved at Bliedersdorf 1 and Bliedersdorf 4. One capstone is missing from Bliedersdorf 2 and both are missing from Bliedersdorf 3. The tombs Bliedersdorf 1, Bliedersdorf 2 and Bliedersdorf 3 are located in a northwest-southeast aligned row, while Bliedersdorf 4 is offset by 30 meters parallel southeast next to it. The triple formation has a total length of about 120 meters. The entrances to Bliedersdorf 3 and Bliedersdorf 4 are in the northeast, the other two in the southwest.

Currently the forest in which the tombs are located is unfortunately closed and access is forbidden, as several of the up to two hundred and fifty-year-old beech trees threaten to fall down.

But overall this is a mystical places with a lot of aura and atmosphere. Hopefully, the forest owners will soon find a way to make this place worth seeing again to the public.

Drive on the K26 from Hohebrugge to Grundoldendorf. Immediately at the entrance to the village, a road on the left leads northwest to Bliedersdorf. After about 250m you’ll reach a small wood with a parking lot in the bend of the road. The tombs are located in this small wood.

Visited May 2019