Great stone graves near Möckern
The large stone graves near Möckern were several megalithic Neolithic graves of unknown number near Möckern in the district of Jerichower Land , Saxony-Anhalt . All were probably destroyed in the 18th century at the latest. Remnants of two graves seem to be left that were placed under monument protection as ground memorials .
location
The location of most of the graves can no longer be determined. Only the original location of a single stone that survived the major clearing work is known. This was on the border between Möckernmark and Zeddenick on the former Möckernschen Kirchacker. The remains of two other graves are located south of Möckern near the L60.
Research history
The former existence of megalithic stone graves near Möckern was documented for the first time by Joachim Gottwalt Abel , who was pastor in Möckern between 1755 and 1806 . He left only handwritten notes on this, which were published by Ernst Herms in 1928 . At the time of Abel's investigations, the graves were almost completely cleared. Christian Wilhelm von Münchhausen , owner of the Möckern estate between 1710 and 1742, had used the large stones from the fields in the vicinity of the city for the new construction of the palace and a neighboring building. The two remains are only listed in the land monuments list of the state of Saxony-Anhalt, but not described in scientific literature.
description
The only remnant of the originally numerous graves that Abel was still able to identify was the so-called Breitenstein or Güntherstein . In his opinion, the name probably came from Günther von Lindau . The stone was 3.5 feet high, 8 feet long, and 4.5 feet wide. During a follow-up examination by Herms, this stone also disappeared.
According to Abel, ceramic vessels (" urns ") and two perforated stone disks were found not far from the stone . The latter, according to Herms, was probably the upper and lower part of a hand mill .
The two systems south of Möckern are unclear hill structures that are surrounded by stones. They seem to have been excavated, which makes it difficult to reconstruct their original appearance.
literature
- Hans-Jürgen Beier : The megalithic, submegalithic and pseudomegalithic buildings and the menhirs between the Baltic Sea and the Thuringian Forest (= contributions to the prehistory and early history of Central Europe. Volume 1). Wilkau-Haßlau 1991, p. 45.
- Ernst Herms: The megalithic graves of the district of Jerichow I. In: Festschrift of the Magdeburg Museum for Natural and Local History for the 10th Conference on Prehistory. Magdeburg 1928, pp. 246-247.