Nucleus

Mehmke 2 is a grand dolmen consisting of three pairs of supporting stones and probably a rectangular enclosure. The current state of preservation is moderate, a large part of the enclosure and chamber stones are missing, just the mound is clearly visible. The rectangular chamber is northeast-southwest orientated and 4m long and 1.4m wide.

During my visit, the surrounding trees were trimmed, so that in and around the tomb larger branches lay around, which were not transported away.

Visited March 2019

The megalithic tombs Mehmke 2 and Mehmke 3 are two preserved Neolithic tombs near Mehmke, a district of Diesdorf in the Altmark region (Salzwedel, Saxony-Anhalt). The field name “Steenkamp” points to a third, destroyed grave.

Both tombs are located in a field about 600m north east of the village center, left of the old freight road Braunschweig-Salzwedel, nowadays a paved field track.

Visited March 2019

Bornsen 2 is a grand dolmen consisting of four pairs of supporting stones. The current state of preservation is good, all supporting stones are still upright, two capstones have sunk into the chamber. The rectangular chamber is east-west orientated and 4.4m long and 1.1-1.2m wide. An enclosure is no longer visible. There are cupmarks on the western capstone.

The tomb is located on the eastern edge of Bornsen and can be reached via the road towards Wüllmersen. Just before you leave the village there is a yellow “Großsteingrab” sign on the right. Park here, pass the building on your right and walk southwest for about 140m to the tomb.

Visited March 2019

Bornsen 1 is probably a grand dolmen consisting of seven pairs of supporting stones and probably a rectangular enclosure. The current state of preservation is good, all supporting stones and capstones are completely preserved and almost in their original position. Whether an enclosure was present, is not recognizable. The chamber is west-southwest east-northeast orientated and 10.4m long and 1.5-1.8m wide. The three western supporting stones and capstones are significantly larger than the four eastern ones.

The tomb is on the road Bornsen – Jübar, about 200 meters behind the last houses of Bornsen on a hill to the right side. Since it is located about 200 meters away from the road in a field, you should visit the tomb only after harvesting or before sowing.

Visited March 2019

The megalithic tombs at Bornsen, a district of Jübar in Altmark Salzwedel (Saxony-Anhalt) are a group of originally five megalithic tombs. Of these, only two exist today. The remaining tombs were destroyed in the 19th century.

Bornsen 1 is located 900 m south of the center of Bornsen about 200 m east of the road to Jübar in a field. Bornsen 2 is located 550 m northeast of the center of Bornsen and 1.2 km northeast of Bornsen 1.

Visited March 2019

Drebenstedt 1 is a grand dolmen consisting of seven pairs of supporting stones and a trapezoidal enclosure. The current state of preservation is excellent, all supporting and enclosure stones are almost completely preserved, only one capstone is broken. The enclosure is about 44m long and 6-7.5m wide, a total of 53 of probably formerly 58 enclosure stones leftand a guardian stone (2.2m high) in the western corner. The chamber in the north-west part of the enclosure is 8.8m long and 1.9m wide. A total of 13 of formerly 16 supporting stones and four capstones are completely preserved.

The tomb is located about 1km west of Drebenstedt in a field under a group of trees and is visible from the road. It is one of the largest and best preserved Hunebeds of the Altmark region.

Visited March 2019

Molmke 1 is a grand dolmen consisting of seven pairs of supporting stones and a trapezoidal enclosure. The current state of preservation is good, some enclosure stones are missing and the capstones have fallen inside the chamber, which is located in the northwest part of the enclosure, northwest-southeast orientated and about 10m long and 2.1-3.2m wide. The enclosure is about 27m long and 7-8.5m wide and consists of 25 stones, in the southeast end are two guardian stones, one of them is broken.

The tomb is located about 1.4km west of Molmke, about 500m southeast of Diesdorf 3 in a field under a group of trees, so you should visit the tomb only after harvesting or before sowing.

Drive the road from Molmke towards Lindhof, after 400m a road branches off to the right in western direction, look for a sign “Großsteingrab”. Continue on this road for about 500m until you reach a house on the left side and the road turns in a field track. I parked here and walked the remaining 500m to the tomb in a field to the right side, but it is also possible to drive along this field track until the tomb comes in sight.

Visited March 2019

Diesdorf 3 is a grand dolmen consisting of at least six pairs of supporting stones and a rectangular or trapezoidal enclosure. The current state of preservation is moderate, several supporting stones, most of the enclosure stones are missing, only one rather big capstone resides on its supporting stones. The chamber is north-northwest-south-southeast orientated and about 8.7m long and 1.5-1.7m wide. From the enclosure, only three stones have been preserved, but reach the impressive height of up to two meters.

The tombs Diesdorf 2 and Diesdorf 3 are located south of Diesdorf. From the road leading through Diesdorf, turn first south into Sandstraße and after a few meters turn right into Bahnhofstraße. After the town sign follow the increasingly bad road to Lindhof. 600 meters after the track has made a left turn and at the end of a field on the left side, you can park the car. Take the path to the left (east) towards the forest and along the northern edge of the forest until a path branches off to the right. Follow this path for about 200m to reach the tomb.

Visited March 2019

Diesdorf 2 is probably a passage grave consisting of seven pairs of supporting stones. The current state of preservation is bad, all capstones, several supporting stones and most of the enclosure stones are missing. From the rectangular or trapezoidal enclosure eight stones are preserved. The chamber is north-south orientated and about 9.3m long and 1.8-2.0m wide.

The tombs Diesdorf 2 and Diesdorf 3 are located south of Diesdorf. From the road leading through Diesdorf, turn first south into Sandstraße and after a few meters turn right into Bahnhofstraße. After the town sign follow the increasingly bad road to Lindhof. 600 meters after the track has made a left turn and at the end of a field on the left side, you can park the car. Take the path to the left (east) towards the forest and along the northern edge of the forest until a path branches off to the right. About 100 meters to the left (north) is the grave under a group of trees.

Visited March 2019

Diesdorf 1 is a grand dolmen consisting of four pairs of supporting stones with probably an oval enclosure. The rectangular chamber is northwest-southeast orientated and about 6.4m long and 1.4m wide. The current state of preservation is moderate, capstones have sunk in the tomb.

The access is quite easy. Drive the road from Diesdorf to Waddekath. Shortly after leaving the village there is a small parking lot on the left side. From the parking lot a narrow, not signposted path leads about 70 meters to the southeast to a group of trees, where the tomb is located.

Visited March 2019

At Diesdorf in Altmark district Salzwedel (Saxony-Anhalt) were originally ten megalithic tombs. Of these, only three exist today. The remaining tombs were destroyed in the 19th century.

Diesdorf 1 is located 900 meters southwest of the center of Diesdorf, south of the road to Waddekath. Diesdorf 2 is located 1.3 km south-southwest of Diesdorf and 900 m south-southeast of Diesdorf 1 on a field. Diesdorf 3 is located 1.6 km south-southwest of Diesdorf and 280 m south of Diesdorf 2 in a small forest.

Schadewohl 3 is a grand dolmen consisting of three pairs of supporting stones. An enclosure probably never existed. The chamber is northwest-southeast orientated and about 4.7m long and 2m wide. The current state of preservation is moderate, one of the capstones is missing, one lies in the chamber, another one in front of the tomb.

Visited March 2019

Schadewohl 2 is a grand dolmen consisting of four pairs of supporting stones. An enclosure is not recognizable or never existed. The capstones contain cup marks, but already show cracks and may break soon. The chamber is northwest-southeast orientated and about 5.7m long and 1.5m wide.

The current state of preservation is (still) good. But trees and bushes afflict the tomb, so it might be nearly invisible during summer time.

Visited March 2019

Schadewohl 1 is a grand dolmen consisting of six pairs of supporting stones. All enclosing stones are missing, some supporting stones are missing others are fallen down. One capstone is missing, one is fell into the chamber, which is northwest-southeast orientated and about 8m long and 1.4-2.0m wide.

The current state of preservation is moderate, but the whole area is in a bad condition (waste dump and gathered stones from the surrounding fields).

Visited March 2019

About 1.2 kilometers south of Schadewohl are 3 megalithic tombs on a line running northwest to southeast. Turn behind Schadewohl into the small road running southwest, which turns into a more or less bumpy dirt road after about 200m. First you pass a graveyard on the right side, then after about 550m you reach a rectangular concrete silo.

I parked my car here and walk along the field track for about 700m to Schadewohl 1, which lies in a group of trees and bushes on the right of the track.

Schadewohl 2 lies about 400m southeast of Schadewohl 1 in the field left of the track, Schadewohl 3 lies 315m southeast of Schadewohl 2. Look for a small crosswalk that crosses the small trench in the dip between both tombs.

As Schadewohl 2 and Schadewohl 3 are located in a large field, you should visit the tomb only after harvesting or before sowing.

Visited March 2019

This about 2.2m high and 1.5m wide standing stone is located near a forest track between the road from Bonese to Schmölau and Rustenbeck. About 1.5km after you leave Bonese turn left towards farm buildings. Park your car where the road turns into a field / forest track. Walk this track for about 600m, the Lehnekenstein is about 30m right from the track.

Until 1860, at a distance of 2m, the stone was said to have been a “stone fence”, so probably a stone circle.

Visited March 2019

Leetze 8 is a passage grave consisting of four pairs of supporting stones. It lies 80m southwest of Leetze 7 in the forest. The chamber is north-south oriented 4m long and 1.5m wide.

Visited March 2019

Leetze 7 is a passage grave consisting of four pairs of supporting stones, probably without any enclosure. It lies 220m south southeast of Leetze 6 in the forest. The chamber is north-south oriented, two capstones are preserved.

Visited March 2019

Leetze 6 is a trapezoidal passage grave consisting of six pairs of supporting stones within a trapezoidal enclosure. It is one of the largest preserved megalithic tomb in the Altmark region. It was excavated and reconstructed by Ulrich Fischer in 1939.

The tomb lies about 360m south of Leetze 5 on the same forest path. Unfortunately, it is pretty overgrown in the meantime. The enclosure is about 37.5 m long, the width is 4.5 to 7.5 m. 48 (of 50) enclosure stones are preserved, there are guardian stones in each corner. The trapezoidal chamber in the northern part of the enclosure is about 7.5 m long, the width is 1 – 1.5 m and the height is about 1.5 m. All 14 supporting stones and 5 (of 6) capstones are preserved.

Visited March 2019

Leetze 5 is a grand dolmen consisting of six pairs of supporting stones. It lies 85m south of Leetze 4 at the edge of the forest, just south of the road from Leetze to Gieseritz, next to a forest path beginning here. The enclosure is oriented north-northwest-south-southeast; it has a length of 24 m and a width of 5.0-6.5 m. It is trapezoidal and still has 34 of originally probably 37 stones. Guardian stones stand at the corners of the enclosure.

Visited March 2019

Leetze 4 is a grand dolmen consisting of five pairs of supporting stones, it lies about 170m south of Leetze 3 on fenced private land, so you should seek for permission before you visit the site. Nearly all enclosure stone are missing, the chamber is north-south oriented and about 6.4 m long and 1.4-2.8 m wide. All 12 supporting stones and 2 (of 5) capstones are still present.

Visited March 2019

Leetze 3 is a grand dolmen consisting of four pairs of supporting stones, it lies about 60m northeast of Leetze 2 in a large field, so you should visit the tomb only after harvesting or before sowing. The rectangular enclosure is northwest-southeast oriented and has a length of 28.7 m and a width of 8-9 m. 33 stones of the enclosure are preserved, guardian stones stood at the corners of the enclosure. Three of them are preserved, they have a height of 2.8 m.

Visited March 2019

Leetze 2 is a grand dolmen consisting of four pairs of supporting stones, the probable oval enclosure is northwest-southeast oriented and has a length of 12.5 m and a width of 7 m. Northwest of the enclosure are two collapsed stones (probably guardian stones), one of them measures at least 2 m high. It lies about 140m south of Leetze 1 and about 60m northwest of Leetze 3 in a large field, so you should visit the tomb only after harvesting or before sowing.

Visited March 2019

Leetze 1 is a grand dolmen consisting of three pairs of supporting stones and is the most northern tomb, about 140m north of Leetze 2. It lies in a large field, so you should visit the tomb only after harvesting or before sowing. It was reconstruct 1938 by Ulrich Fischer, however, only the coverstone found next to the chamber was placed on the wall stones. The grave is again completely overgrown now.

Visited March 2019

The megalithic tombs at Leetze are a group of originally nine megalithic tombs. They are located in Wötz near Leetze on a not quite exact, about 1100m long north-south-running line. Of these, eight are still largely preserved today. The ninth tomb was destroyed in the 19th century. Four tombs are located north of the street from Wötz to Gieseritz, the outher four are located south of the street. Leezte 4 lies on private land, the other northern tomb in the middle of a field, so you should visit these tombs only after harvesting or before sowing.

Visited March 2019

taken from the information board:

Matthiesing’s altar stone

Altar stone from the early Stone Age (3rd millennium BC). According to legend, the devil wanted to hurl this boulder against the Ueffel church and destroy it.

But the devil’s power was broken by the crowing of the cock at the neighboring court of Matthiesing at midnight.

The stone then turned on its own axis.

taken from the “Route of Megalithic Culture” information board:

Traveling Stones

During the Saalian (Wolstonian) Stage of the Ice Age about 20,000 years ago glaciers transported granite stones from Scandonavia to Northern Germany, which at the time was covered by approx. 400 metres of ice. Climatic warming caused the ice to melt, thus providing the Neolithic people in North-West Germany with their impressive construction material.

Only the Karlsteine do not fit into the pciture: The carbon-quartzite used originates from the neighbouring Piesberg. According to the legend Charlemagne split the capstone in half with his whip which is even more astonishing given that carbon-quartize is one of the toughest stone far and wide.

Within walking distance (approx. 500 metres) to the southwest the “Kreuz im Hone” a cross is commemorating the place where the first Christian mass in the Osnabrück region was said 783 AD. Following Charlemagne’s ambitions to convert the Saxons to Christianity.

taken from the information board:

Devil’s oven
Neolithic megalithic grave

On the construction of megalithic tombs
Megalithic tombs are among the buildings of the so-called megalithic culture (from Greek mega = large and lithos = stone). Its essential element is the upright stone (= menhir). Such constructions exist as rows of stones, stone circles, temples and tombs. The best known example is Stonehenge in England.

The North German megalithic sites are almost exclusively grave sites from the Neolithic period, built between 3,500 and 2,800 BC. The core of a site is the ground-level chamber. It consists of individual yokes placed side by side in east-west direction (one yoke = two wall stones and one capstone) and the closing stones on the narrow sides. The floor of the burial chamber was paved with small boulder fragments and stone scree. The large joints between the wall and ceiling stones are filled with dry masonry wall.

The name passage grave, as a name for the type of grave that is common in our country, states that originally a short passage formed of boulders ran towards the middle of the southern longitudinal wall.

The entire stone construction was covered by its builders with a mound. The hill foot was partly framed with still visible oval stoneworks to prevent slippage of the accumulated earth masses.

taken from the information board:

Devils dough trough
Neolithic grave site

The builders of the megalithic tombs
In northern Germany, the megalithic tombs belong to the legacy of the so-called funnel beaker culture, named after the typical shape of their pottery. This population began in the Neolithic period from about 3,500 BC. also in our country, to practice agriculture and livestock. With this they finished the oldest and longest period of human history, the time of hunter-gatherer cultures, and introduced the sedentary way of life.

From the study of flower pollen we know today that it was 2-3°C warmer then today. There were large oak mixed forests on whose clear edges, near the stream or river, with stone axes the forest was cleared and fields and settlements were created. The most important crop was cereals, whereby only those species were cultivated, which came in the course of 5,000 years with the spreading of the rural way of life from Near East to Central and Northern Europe. These included the wheat varieties einkorn and wild emmer as well as barley.

The livestock can be retraced from individual bone finds. In the 4th millennium BC after that, cattle and pigs and, also imported from Southeastern Europe, sheep and goats were bred.

taken from the information board:

Megalithic tomb Slopsteine
Neolithic grave site
(3500 – 2800 BC)

The foothills of the Wiehengebirges north of Bissendorf are well into the 18./19. Century a center of graves from the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The map shows this picture also for today’s time, however the inventory has decreased by a multiple. The exact number of originally existing sites is no longer detectable today.

The megalithic tombs belong to the Neolithic megalithic culture (Greek: “mega” = large, “lithos” = the stone) and are among the oldest and most impressive proof of human life and work in northern Germany. They date from the 3rd to the 4th millennium BC and still inspire the imagination of the viewer today. The researchers associate them with the Neolithic revolution when the sedentary lifestyle began with the beginnings of agriculture and livestock. Concrete references to the people who built and used these monuments are sparse.

taken from the information board:

Megalithic tomb Deitinghausen
Neolithic grave site
(3500 – 2800 BC)

The foothills of the Wiehengebirges north of Bissendorf are well into the 18./19. Century a center of graves from the Neolithic and Bronze Age. The map shows this picture also for today’s time, however the inventory has decreased by a multiple. The exact number of originally existing sites is no longer detectable today.

The megalithic tombs belong to the Neolithic megalithic culture (Greek: “mega” = large, “lithos” = the stone) and are among the oldest and most impressive proof of human life and work in northern Germany. They date from the 3rd to the 4th millennium BC and still inspire the imagination of the viewer today. The researchers associate them with the Neolithic revolution when the sedentary lifestyle began with the beginnings of agriculture and livestock. Concrete references to the people who built and used these monuments are sparse.

The Düwelsteene (Devil Stones in Low German) are the most south-westerly, in the core area preserved megalithic site of funnel beaker culture, created about 3500-2800 BC and one of the few in Westphalia.

They were already restored in 1932. The northeast-southwest oriented site is 12 m long outside (inside 10.2 m) and 2.7 m to 4.3 m wide (inside 1.5 m to 2.2 m); the inside height is 1.5 m. The now-defunct original chamber floor was covered with a patch of flat field and flint stones. Almost all the supporting stones and three capstones are still preserved, whereas an enclosure is no longer visible today. Access to the chamber is no longer safe to determine.

The megalith tomb can be reached via the Reken exit of the autobahn A31. Here you drive towards Heiden until you reach a roundabout. Turn right (north) until the next roundabout, here first straight ahead over the roundabout and after 290m right into the Düwelsteenweg. Follow this for 1.6 km until you come to an junction. Here you should park and walk the remaining 600m on a sandy, unpaved road on foot.

Visited July 2018

In a residential area in Tannenhausen, north of Aurich, is the only remaining megalithic tomb, of four former in Friesland. Strictly speaking, the complex consists of two burial chambers, which were connected to each other via a common burial mound. From the western chamber there are only three stones left (two capstones and one supporting stone), popularly called butter, bread and cheese (low german Botter, Brood & Kees). From the eastern chamber was not a single stone available, this was reconstructed with new boulders. The two burial chambers are located in a park-like area, with many information boards, for my taste a bit too much of the good.

To visit the site drive north through Tannenhausen on the Dornumer Straße. Just before the road makes a right turn, turn left into Stürenburgweg. After 250m turn left into Am Hünengrab (what a name ;-) ) and after furthermore 150m turn right into Möhlenkamp. The site is on the left after 140m.

Visited July 2018

taken from one of the information boards:

Research of the tomb

This site in Tannenhausen is one of the four known Stone Age megalithic graves in East Frisia. It is the only one from which remnants can still be seen.

The western chamber was about twelve meters long, 2.2 meters to 2.8 meters wide and 1.3 meters in height. It consisted of about 20 large boulders. The east chamber was about 11.2 meters long and 2.2 meters to 3.2 meters wide. Five identical six large capstones formed the roof. Both burial chambers were covered by oval hills. The entrances to the burial chambers were on the south side.

Excavations

Various excavations already took place in 1780 before the founding of the colony Tannenhausen. Regular archaeological investigations were only carried out between 1962 and 1963.

The megalithic tombs date back to the early phase of the so-called Western group (between Drenthe and the Weser) of the funnel beaker culture around 3,500 BC.

The stones to be visited in the area are two capstones and a supporting stone of the western burial chamber. During the excavations the traces of the former other stones could be documented.

The original stones of many megalithic tombs in northern Germany and the Groningen region were smashed, robbed and used for other structures – often probably also for churches.

Tannenhausen findings

The people of the funnel beaker culture were the first in East Frisia to make ceramic vessels. They were richly decorated with geometric patterns. These were carved before the fire in the wet clay and filled with a white paste, which is usually no longer preserved.

The tools still consisted entirely of stone. The ax blades, for example, were made of flint, as well as the arrowheads. As jewelery pearls from rock, but also from amber from the Baltic Sea were used.

The now to be seen site represents a reconstruction! The stones are in the original locations, but they are not the original stones. These have disappeared over time. The reconstruction shows what one of the tombs might have looked like. A stylized entrance allows a view into the inside of the tomb. Even the access from wooden posts can not be reconstructed today, so it is represented by vertical wooden posts.

The tomb originally had an oval border, but there is no sign of it today. The burial chamber is oriented approximately east-west, its length is 10m, the width is 2.4m in the west and 1.8m in the east. The chamber possessed in her original condition six pairs of support stones on the long sides, one endstone each on the narrow sides and six capstones. Almost all support stones are still in situ, only the western endstone has been removed. All the capstones were blown up. Several large pieces are still inside the chamber.

The tomb is very easy to find. You drive on the L54 from Klein Berßen to Haselünne, after approx. 2,5km you turn right into the street Loherfeld, the tomb lies after another 300m immediately right (north) of the street.

Visited July 2018

Due to the fact that the tomb is still buried deep and heavily overgrown in the undergrowth, here follows the description from the German Wikipedia:

The 5.0 × 1.5 meter east-west orientated chamber lies deep in the ground. Of the original ten support stones and the four capstones missing one each. Of the entrance stones is only one in situ. One entrance and the capstone of the entrance, which is located in the middle of the south side, are missing. An enclosure or a hill can not be proven.

The tomb lies on private land, drive from Westerloh on the K240 to Lähden. After about 1.7km you come to a junction, where the forest begins on both sides of the road. The road “Zum Herthum” to the north leads to the graves Westerloh 2 and Lähden 2, the dirt road to the south to grave Westerloh 1, which is located in a small wood just outside the forest.

Visited July 2018

Groß Berßen 10 or alternatively Deepmoorsteene lies in a bush in the middle of farmland and is totally overgrown and neglected. It is a chamber approximately oriented in east-west direction. A large part of the supporting and capstones are still present. Of the original six capstones only one is missing.

To get to the tomb you leave Groß Berßen on the K159 to the southeast towards the settlement Osterfeld and Lähden. If the trees end right and left, turn south into Moorstraße. Follow this road for about 700 meters (keep to the left at a fork). Then you reach a plant of a petroleum pipeline, where you can park. From here, a path leads to the left (northeast), which you follow for about 200 meters. The tomb is then right about 60 meters away at the end of a green strip between two fields in the brushwood.

Visited July 2018

According to Sprockhoff this tomb is a Hunebed, which are rather rare in Emsland. It should have been 30 x 6m in size. Today, however, the overall site looks so chaotic that it is difficult to imagine the original megalithic tomb. The chamber is 5 x 2 m in size; 6 support stones are still present, including the two boundary stones on the narrow sides. It probably lacks 4 support stones, because it is likely to have acted around a four-yoke chamber, the capstones are missing. The chamber is located in a long enclosure, of which there are 17 stones left. They are partly relocated, so that the extent is not clearly recognizable.

The alternate name Brutsteene (bride stones) indicates that in the past weddings or fertility rituals were performed here. There are other sites in this area, which a similar name origin, like Visbeker Bräutigam or Visbeker Braut.

Groß Berßen 9 is located in a small wood south of the barrow heath “Am Wiesengrund”. Drive from Groß Berßen north on the K159 towards Sögel. About 1.3km after the roundabout in Groß Berßen turn left into the road “Am Wiesengrund” and continue for 900m. Park here and walk 200m south to the tomb.

Visited July 2018

taken from the “Route of Megalithic Culture” information board:

Excavated...
The grave was first described already in 1825, at that time it was largely hidden in a dune. According to other descriptions of the 19th century the grave was blown free more and more over time. in 1925 besides 28 stones also first finds like pottery sherds and stone artefacts were visible. During an excavation in 1955 the archaeologist Dr. Elisabeth Schlicht examined this grave scientifically. The grave chamber was 9.5 metres long, had five cornerstones and fourteen orthostats. In the middle of the southern longitudinal wall the entrance was marked with a threshold. The bottom of the chamber was paved with small boulders with an overlying layer of granite grus, and between the orthostats remains of dry masonry was found. Blast holes in a shattered, 6-ton capston give evidence of blasting attempts.

taken from the “Route of Megalithic Culture” information board:

The Pyramids of the North
The chamber of “King’s Grave” today consists of 21 existing orthostats and nine capstones, 30 stones of the former enclosure are also extant. For a long time it was especially popular belief taht a king had been laid to rest with his entourage or his family in th large, long grave. Built without any technical aids, one would explain the immense amount of work only for a prominent personality – like the pyramids for the Pharaohs of Egypt. It is not without reason we talk about the “Pyramids of the North” today in connection with the megalithic tombs. The construction of the Pyramids of Gaza is dated from 2,620 to 2,500 BC, thus at least 700 years later than the megalithic tombs of this region.

One of the most beautiful megalithic tombs of Emsland and definitely a must see site to visit, if you are in this area!

Drive from Hüven on the L65 northward to Sögel. After you leave Hüven, there is a single house on the right side, right as the forest begins to the right. There is a small area where you can leave the car. A small sign and a forest track leads you to the tomb, which is just a 150m walk from here.

Impressive 22 x 10 m large megalithic tomb with a very well-preserved oval enclosure, where the enclosure stones are relatively large for an Emsland chamber. The oriented chamber in east-west direction is still almost complete. It has a length of about 15 meters, in the middle of a width of 1.50 and at the two ends of about 1.0 meters. 25 supporting stones are available and are in situ. Of the original 11 capstones are still 8 in their original position. The oval enclosure of about 22 meters in length and 10 meters wide is still almost complete, only a few stones are missing.

Revisited July 2018

taken from the “Route of Megalithic Culture” information board:

Of lost treasures

With a total of 52 from originally well over 100 more or less preserved megalithic tombs northern Emsland is virtually “rich in stones”. These few visible “treasures” of prehistory include the well-preserved grave “Volbers Megalithic Stones”. This tomb is one of the largest graves in the region constisting of eleven bays with 25 orthostats still standing and eleven preserved capstones. The 22 metres long stone surrounding is almost complete. But time is taking its toll. A few years ago one of the capstones slipped into the chamber. With great effort and most recent technical equipment it was tried to manoeuvre the capstone back to its original position. Success was extremely short-dated: After only a few weeks, the stone slipped back into the chamber where it still lies today.

This is the northern of the two tombs. Since there are hardly any structures to be recognized by the underbrush, moss-grown and the strong vegetation growth, here is the description from the German Wikipedia:

This site is very similar to the other one (Holte-Lastrup 1). The burial chamber is northeast-southwest oriented and originally also had four pairs of wall stones on the long sides, two end stones and four capstones. According to Sprockhoffs reconstruction drawing it might also be a grand dolmee. In situ, only three wall stones of the northwestern and two of the southeastern long side are preserved. Inside the chamber are two broken into several fragments capstones.

Visited July 2018

This is the southern of the two tombs. Since there are hardly any structures to be recognized by the underbrush and the strong vegetation growth, here is the description from the German Wikipedia:

The tomb has an east-west oriented chamber, which is probably a grand dolmen. In its original condition, it is said to have possessed four pairs of wall stones on the long sides, one endstone each on the narrow sides and four capstones. When Ernst Sprockhoff documented the tomb in 1927, he found the western endstone, two adjoining wall stones of the north and three adjacent wall stones of the south side standing in situ. The western capstone is broken, but is still on the wall stones. The remaining three capstones are broken inside the chamber. A recent documentation has shown that the two eastern wall stones of the north side, which were assumed to be missing by Sprockhoff, are still present.

Visited July 2018

Both graves are badly damaged and hard to find. A visit is really worthwhile only if you have already visited all the other tombs in this area. In addition, you should visit the tombs rather in winter because of the strong growth of underbrush, a GPS device is absolutely necessary.

According to Wikipedia a third tomb originally located near these two sites was destroyed in the 19th century.

To find the two tombs, drive southward on the K267 from Lahden to Lastrup. About 1.8km behind Lahden turn left into Clemenskoppel and continue on this road for about 670m, until you come to junction and the fields end on the left side of the road. Park here and take the forest track, which goes in southeast direction. Walk for about 200m, both tombs are left of this track, opposite of a pond. Good luck!

Visited July 2018

Like Lahn 3 Herßum has the same kind of information board, is at least partially signposted, but it has become overgrown in the meantime, because nobody seems to care for the place anymore, which is a pity. Possibly because both sites are not part of the Route of Megalithic Culture or are a bit off the beaten track. Herßum is listed (No 19) in Mamoun Fansa’s book “Großsteingräber zwischen Weser und Ems” (ISBN 978-3-89995-626-9, 2009), so it seems that the tomb once had a greater significance.

I think the “official” signposted approach to reach the site is to drive from Holte-Lastrup on the L55 towards Herßum. After about 500m behind Holte-Lastrup turn left into Ahmsener Kirchweg, which turns northeast into a dirt road. Either drive or walk on this dirt road, first are fields left and right of the way, later forest is left hand of the way. After about 430m a signposted beaten track leads northwest into the forest, follow this track and you’ll reach the site in about 500m. I missed to turn left into Ahmsener Kirchweg and turned left the next possibility at a farm, turned left after additional 400m and arrived from the other direction.

The tomb is remarkably large and east-west oriented. The site is about 20 meters long and 7m wide, the burial chamber is about 15m long and varies from 2m in the middle to about 1.5m to both ends. Twelve capstones are still present, but all have sunk into the chamber or relocated. Only a few support stones are still in their original positions. The chamber was surrounded by an oval enclosure and lies on a small sandy elevation.

Visited July 2018

Although Lahn 3 is signposted from the road between Lahn and Wehm and although there is an information board, nobody seems to care about the site anymore. Nature demands the place back, which was occupied by the tomb for more than 5.000 years. The chamber (17.5 x 1.6 m) in an elongated mound is heavily destroyed, only single stones are preserved.

To find the site drive from Lahn to Wehn, turn left right before the forest (signposted). After about 120m a small forest track leads to the tomb, which is 80m into the wood.

Visited July 2018

taken from the information display:

The oldest and at the same time the most impressive monuments of Lower Saxony are the neolithic megalithic tombs. While today in Lower Saxony about 400 mostly only incompletely preserved tombs are known, the number of originally existing tombs was many times higher.

The extensive destruction is almost entirely due to human intervention in the last two centuries. For example, blocks of boulders, often weighing several tons, were used as building material completely or blasted for house foundations, walls, churches, roads, bridges, dykes, etc., and some were even negotiated in neighboring countries.

The scale of the destruction also illustrates the megalithic tomb Lahn (see Figures 1 and 2) of which there are only a few stones in their original position and a large part has disappeared. The rather large burial chamber, which lay in an elongated hill, had approximately 17.5 x 1.6 m internal dimensions after the reconstruction (Figure 2).

The predominantly ceramic funerary objects (cups, bowls and funnel cups, Figure 3) date the megalithic tombs into the funnel beaker culture (3500 – 2000 BC), in a later section (about 2300 – 2000 BC) of this Neolithic agricultural (single crown, emmer, dwarf wheat, barley) and cattle breeding (cattle, swine, goat, sheep) culture.

Settlement sites of the funnel beaker culture have not yet been fully investigated, but some house plans give hints to the residential buildings of that time. For example, in Wittenwater, district of Uelzen, the post pits of a 15,6 x 6 m house (Figure 4) were discovered, which was divided into several rooms and on the southern side of which a grain millstone was found and possibly a small (grain?) storage.

taken from the on site infromation board:

In the dune terrain, “Im großen Sande” is a pretty impressive megalithic tomb, which was built in a younger section of the Neolithic period (about 2300 to 1800 BC) and was used for generations.

From his blueprint, this megalithic tomb presents the typical “Emsland chambes” that are widespread in the area between the Dutch province of Drenthe in the west and the Weser in the east, which are very different from megalithic tombs in other regions: the burial chamber in east-west orientation is very long and consists of the juxtaposition of several components, the so-called yokes, each consisting of two opposing support stones and an overlying capstone. Here in Herßum there are 12 such yokes forming the 20-meter-long chamber. It is worth noting that the width of the chamber tapers from the middle to both ends: the clear width decreases from 2 meters in the middle to only 1.5 meters at the ends. Usually these chambers could be entered through a small corridor in the middle of the southern longitudinal wall, but no stones have survived from this passage. In a very narrow oval arch a stone enclosure surrounds the megalithic tomb, of which only 10 stones have been preserved. There are also a few stones missing from the existing 29 supporting stones; only a total of 6 stones are in their original place. All 12 capstones have slipped off the support stones and are inside the chamber. The absence of stones is due to explosions for the extraction of building materials in the 18th century and 19th century; in Herßum – it is said – such explosions took place in the years 1864/65. The megalithic tombs were used by a rural population over generations as burial places or ossuaries. The Neolithic people lived in village communities, where they lived in small ground-level post houses. Floor plans of such houses could be discovered during excavations in Heede and Groß Berßen. Cereals of this time were emmer, einkorn and barley. The grain stocks were stored in small storage tanks, which were probably raised to protect against vermin. Stone axes and hatchets were used for clearing forests and for woodworking. Their wooden stalks naturally did not survive in the soil. The pottery was thin-walled and well baked. As an ornament, geometric patterns had been inserted into the still unfired clay. Among the various shapes of vessels, the cup with high funnel-shaped edge is worth mentioning, which gave its name to the archaeological culture of that time: funnel beaker culture. Figure 1 shows vessels and stone axes and hatchets of this culture. In addition to agriculture and livestock, hunting continued to play a role. A variety of flint arrowheads, as shown in Figure 2, were attached to arrow shafts and were effective weapons, as shot tests have shown.

The megalithic tombs as a monumental grave architecture of this time are under the protection of the Lower Saxony Heritage Protection Law and must not be damaged.

In the forest area Fuhrenkamp, about 800m southwest of Oldendorfer Hünensteine three megalithic tombs are close together. However, all three are heavily destroyed, so that a visit is not worthwhile. Also, all three are hard to find because they are off the beaten path and you have to fight through the undergrowth to get to them. I strongly recommend to visit the tombs only with a GPS device.

Park at the B213 between Löningen and Lastrup, it is the same car park as for visting Oldendorfer Hünensteine . Walk southwest (towards Löningen) for about 275m, cross the B213 and then follow the wide forest path that leads north into the forest. After about 200m, the path forks for the first time, after 125m again, take the left path in each case. After additional 150m you have to look for noticeable hills in the woods to the right and left of the path.

During my visit, it started to rain heavily, mosquitoes came from everywhere, my pants were soaking wet due to the strong soil growth within a short time and to make matters worse, my cell phone reported that my car with all my valuables was not closed (which fortunately turned out as a false notification) and I couldn’t locked it remotely. Those are the moments where one wonders why one takes all the effort for three unremarkable megalithic tombs.

Visited July 2018