Work on new wind turbines near Wolfenbüttel has brought to light a wide range of archaeological finds, including a group of Bronze Age jewellery and much older traces of settlement activity.
The development, located near Ahlum and Dettum in Germany, required an archaeological assessment before construction works. No sites had been recorded there before, but the area was still considered likely to contain buried remains. The Lower Saxony State Office for Heritage Preservation carried out a survey covering about 93,000 square metres.
Excavation showed activity from several time periods. More than 400 finds were recorded, ranging from the Neolithic to late antiquity. Among the oldest were two longhouse structures linked to the Linear Pottery culture, dating to the sixth millennium BC. These early farming communities are among the first known in the region.
The most important discovery came during groundworks in another section of the site, where a cluster of bronze and amber objects was uncovered. Archaeologists lifted the finds together with the surrounding soil as a single block and transported it to a laboratory, where the pieces could be exposed and documented under controlled conditions.
The objects date to around 1500–1300 BC. They include neck rings, arm spirals, pins and other decorative pieces. The group is considered a hoard, meaning it was placed in the ground deliberately. The items are thought to have belonged to at least three people, likely women of high status.
A necklace made of more than 150 amber beads is the most striking piece. Finds of this scale are rare in Lower Saxony. Amber was collected mainly along the Baltic coast and moved over long distances. Objects made from it are often linked to wealth and social position.
The exact source of the beads is still unknown. Detailed study has only just started, especially for the more fragile parts of the find.
Discoveries from later periods were also made. These include pits containing carefully placed animal remains, especially dogs, along with pottery made in styles influenced by Roman techniques and various metal objects.
One well-preserved item is a comb dating to the fourth or fifth century AD. It has multiple layers and is decorated with circular patterns and bronze rivets. Objects like this are usually found in graves, but complete examples are uncommon because cremation was widely practiced at the time.
The finds show that the area around Wolfenbüttel was used repeatedly over a long period, from early farming communities through later historical phases. Work at the site is ongoing, and further study is expected to add more detail to how the area was used over time.
Header Image Credit : Lower Saxony State Office for Heritage Preservation/ C. Wehrstedt
Sources : DAMALS.de