Source: www.pasthorizonspr.com
A sensational archaeological discovery has been made in the region of Bern, Switzerland, consisting of a communal dolmen grave dating back to over 5,000 years, containing 30 bodies and Neolithic artefacts. It represents the first intact burial chamber to be found north of the Alps.
A sensational archaeological discovery has been made in the region of Bern, Switzerland, consisting of a communal dolmen grave dating back to over 5,000 years, containing 30 bodies and Neolithic artefacts. It represents the first intact burial chamber to be found north of the Alps.
Unexpected discovery
In
October 2011, specialists from the Archaeological Service of the Canton of Bern
began investigation of the large granite slab weighing in at 7 tonnes. The
glacial erratic measured 3 metres long, 2 metres wide and was nearly 1 metre
thick – what they did not realise at first was that it still covered a grave
belonging to a Neolithic community.
The
site was originally found when a farmer decided to try and remove the glacial
boulder that he had to mow around when cutting grass in his field.
The
boulder is from the last glacial maximum – some 20,000 years ago – and used by
the early farmers during the 4th millennium BCE for burial purposes.
According
to a report in the Berner Zeitung, Roman and medieval artefacts were found
directly overlying the Neolithic layers and show the dolmen was a visible
feature in the landscape until at least the 13th century CE. Most of the
sediments that cover the site are flood deposits from the nearby river.
Like winning the lottery
The
site director of the Oberbipp dolmen excavation, Marco Amstutz comments, “What
we found here is like winning the lottery. “
An
intact Neolithic communal burial is slowly coming to light, after fears the
grave may have been ransacked in the past. The uprights are slightly tilted due
to constant flooding from the nearby river, but despite this, the site is
reasonably intact.
The excavation
of the burial chamber has revealed over 30 individuals as well as what must
represent grave goods from the period, including flint arrowheads pendants made
of animal teeth and one bead, probably of limestone.
DNA
testing of the occupants as well as sophisticated analysis of their teeth will
be taking place over the next two years.
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