Dresden-Nickern district moat

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Simplified model of the complex in the " SMAC "

The Dresden-Nickern district moat is an early complex of at least four independent circular moats in the Dresden district of Nickern in the area around the Gebergrund. The systems are located on several excavation areas that were created before the construction of a feeder to federal motorway 17 to explore the route.

The circular moat systems are assigned to an early band ceramic culture (5500-4500 BC). After the Second World War, numerous traces of settlement ceramic cultures were found on the southern slopes of the Dresden Elbe Valley around the Nickern district. The systems are very likely related to around 150 similar systems of this early advanced civilization in Central Europe, which were built between 4800 and 4600 before our time. According to current knowledge, plants of comparable size were only rebuilt during the Bronze Age around 3000 years later.

Digs

DD-02

In the first excavation area ( DD-02 , 50 ° 59 ′ 47.7 ″  N , 13 ° 47 ′ 27.2 ″  E ) from 1993, a circular trench with a diameter of 50 m was found.

DD-98

In 1998 a second simple circular trench system was found ( DD-98 , 50 ° 59 ′ 47.1 ″  N , 13 ° 47 ′ 11.2 ″  E ) with a diameter of 80 m.

NEVER-07

About 50 m south of DD-02 in 2002 in excavation field NIE-07 ( 50 ° 59 ′ 44.5 ″  N , 13 ° 47 ′ 28 ″  E ) two segment arches of a second double trench system were found, which, assuming a closed circle, have a maximum Reached a diameter of 140 m.

NEVER-09

Also in 2002, the fourth system ( NIE-09 , 50 ° 59 '47 .7 ″  N , 13 ° 47 ′ 0.2 ″  E ) was found, which consists of four concentric trenches with a minimum diameter of 70 m and a maximum diameter of 126 m. Due to the small number of ceramic finds, the complex can be clearly assigned to the tapestry ceramic culture.

Inside the circles there were two palisade rings (diameter 38 m and 43 m) running slightly asymmetrically to the trenches , which enclosed an innermost area of ​​approx. 1140 m². However, it is uncertain whether all parts of the system existed at the same time. The pointed trenches of the individual moat rings were dug from the inside outwards within a few years, with the innermost circle mostly being repaired three times, the second and third circles mostly twice.

The innermost circular ditch was dug the deepest, the circles flattened outwards. The total excavated volume of a trench circle remained constant at approx. 1000 m³ due to the decreasing depth with increasing circumference.

Since only about 15% of the system was excavated in the area of ​​the motorway feeder route, whereby only part of an access was affected, conclusions can only be drawn about the entire geometry by comparing it with other systems. On this basis, it is assumed that there were four earth bridges with an orientation in the four cardinal directions.

Finds

During the excavations, ceramic figures, post impressions of typical ribbon ceramic longhouses and tools made of stone, bones and wood were found.

use

One can only speculate about the use of the facilities. A use as a fortification, market place, calendar or religious temple is conceivable, the latter thesis being spread mainly by tabloids.

meaning

Compared to similar known circular moat systems, the clustering of four systems in an area with a diameter of only 1 km is unique. Only the circular moats in Kyhna near Leipzig and in Cífer ( Slovakia ) have a quadruple circular ring like NIE-09 . Only a few other circular moat systems have a larger diameter.

The Prohlis finds, which belonged to the same settlement, are so far unique for the seamless transition from the linear band ceramists to the stitch band ceramists .

In October 2001, the State Office for Archeology of Saxony adopted the layout of a quadruple circular moat as a signet.

The excavations and finds received only marginal mention in the local press for their importance, with a large number of articles in response to a report by The Independent in June 2005.

In the State Museum for Archeology in Chemnitz , which opened in 2014, a model of the stitched ceramic settlement can be seen.

"Archaeo-Path Dresden"

Info stele of the Archeo -pfad Dresden at the Palitzsch Museum

Since the beginning of 2020, information about archaeological finds and local events has been provided on eleven information steles on a “cultural-historical circular hiking trail on the Geberbach”. A brochure Nickern and Prohlis - Archeology and History at the Geberbach in Dresden was published by the State Office for Archeology of Saxony.

literature

chronologically. Newest first.

Web links

Commons : Stichbandkeramik Dresden-Nickern  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Harald Stäuble: A new section of the BAB 17: New challenges for archeology. State Office for Archeology , archived from the original on October 12, 2006 ; accessed on January 30, 2013 .
  2. ↑ Advertisement of the dissertation (pdf; 2.1 MB) The line and stitched ceramic settlement of Dresden-Prohlis. A case study on cultural change in the Upper Elbe region around 5000 BC Chr. In: Archäologisches Nachrichtenblatt 17,1, 2012, pp. 24–27, accessed on December 2, 2013.
  3. ↑ after the aerial photographs of Kyhna, see Judith Oexle (ed.), State Office for Archeology Dresden: Dresden 8000 . Dresden, 2006, p. 35
  4. ↑ model of the stichband ceramic settlement Dresden-Nickern @ tagesspiegel.de; The department store now has Steinzeit @ bild.de, accessed November 14, 2014
  5. ^ Prohlis: On May 16, the Dresden Archaeo Path opens. The cultural- historical circular hiking trail on the Geberbach invites you to discover and linger with a folding map (PDF 1.7 MB) , accessed May 13, 2020
  6. ^ Nickern and Prohlis - archeology and history at the Geberbach in Dresden ; Brief description (PDF 25 KB) , accessed May 13, 2020

Coordinates: 51 ° 0 '  N , 13 ° 47'  E