Great stone graves near Vehlitz
The megalithic graves near Vehlitz were probably six megalithic Neolithic graves near Vehlitz , a district of Gommern in the district of Jerichower Land , Saxony-Anhalt . All of them were probably destroyed in the 18th or 19th century.
location
Grave 1 was directly at Vehlitz am Anger on the left side of the bridge. Grave 2 was near the intersection of the paths from Vehlitz to Leitzkau and from Wallwitz to Dannigkow . Grave 3 was only 50 paces away from this one. Grave 4 was on the way to Dannigkow, still in the Vehlitz area near Mötelitz .
Research history
One of the plants (No. 1) was documented for the first time by Justus Christianus Thorschmidt , pastor in Plötzky near Gommern at the beginning of the 18th century . Joachim Gottwalt Abel , who was pastor in Möckern between 1755 and 1806, took over his information . Through his own research, he was able to identify three other graves. Abel only left handwritten notes on his research, which were published by Ernst Herms in 1928 . The graves themselves had already been completely cleared when Herms investigated. The stones from grave 1 were partly used for building purposes and partly to erect a memorial for the Wars of Liberation 1813-14. The possible existence of two further graves is only proven by the designations "Steinstücke" and "Steinmaassen" on a historical measuring table sheet.
description
Grave 1
Grave 1 had an east-west oriented barren bed that at Abel's admission still had 58 surrounding stones, some of which were still in situ and some of which had already fallen over. Of these, 25 were on the northern and 23 on the southern long side. The narrow sides each had five stones, which were arranged in a straight row in the east, but in an arc in the west. The four outermost stones on the narrow sides protruded beyond the long sides. Some of the surrounding stones protruded 6 feet (about 1.9 m) from the earth, their total height was even greater, as Abel could see from the fallen stones. The complex did not have a burial chamber ; it is thus to be addressed as a chamberless giant bed .
Grave 2
Grave 2 had a north-south orientated barrow that was already more damaged when Abel was taken. It still had 30 enclosing stones, most of which were on the western long side. A few more were preserved on the northern narrow side. This system was also a chamberless giant bed.
Grave 3
Grave 3 also had a north-south oriented mound bed with a length of 40 paces (about 30 m) and a width of 20 paces (about 15 m). Of the enclosure, two stones were preserved on the eastern long side 14, on the western long side 12 and on the two narrow sides. In the southern half of the bed, 10 paces (about 7.5 m) from the narrow side of the enclosure, there was a burial chamber, of which Abel could make out six stones. These were apparently five wall stones and a cap stone. Four wall stones stood close together. The capstone had already been blown into nine pieces, but the largest piece was still resting on the wall stones. The fifth wall stone was a little off to the south. The type of grave can no longer be determined due to the severe damage to the chamber.
Grave 4
Grave 4 had a north-south oriented, trapezoidal barn bed that narrowed to the north. The enclosure consisted of 17 stones on the eastern long side, 16 stones on the western long side, 4 stones on the southern narrow side and 2 stones on the northern narrow side. 15 paces (about 11 m) in front of the western long side stood a single large stone, apparently a guardian stone . This facility also had no chamber and can therefore be addressed as a chamberless giant bed.
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. 46.
- 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. 258-259.
- Justus Christianus Thorschmidt : Plocensium pastor: Antiquitates Plocenses et Adjunctarum Prezzin et Elbenau. Leipzig 1725.