15 July 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Slavic settlement and burial ground with two unusual graves discovered in Saxony-Anhalt

Archaeologists from the State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology (LDA) of Saxony-Anhalt have uncovered a wealth of medieval treasures, including a Slavic settlement and burial ground near the town of Wettin-Löbejün, Germany. The finds come during preparatory work for a major powerline.

The State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt announced the finds during research along the SuedOstLink direct current powerlinem a 170-kilometer project.

Dating to the 10th and 11th centuries, the site includes a craft district with evidence of iron ore extraction and smelting, and finds indicating textile production. The settlement, which was originally fortified with a large ditch, later evolved into individual farmsteads with smaller surrounding ditches. The special finds from the settlement area include a bead from a farmstead ditch and a bronze bracelet from the larger, earlier ditch.

The burial ground belonging to the settlement was completely excavated. “On this small cemetery, measuring just 5 by 30 meters, there are 60 burials in two parallel rows, closely packed together. The dead were buried according to the Christian rite lying on their backs, facing east and without any grave goods except for items belonging to garments, such as bronze rings and beads. The north-south oriented deceased were buried on their backs, facing east, in accordance with Christian ritual,” said project leader and archaeologist Susanne Friederich at the excavation site.

‘Family grave’ of two adults and two children from Wettin-Löbejün. Photo by Oliver Dietrich / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt

The graves mostly have head niches. In some cases there were also stones put around the head or legs. New burials were frequently placed in existing grave pits, with the remains of previous burials being moved aside or included in the refilling. The graves mostly date to the 10th-11th century AD, some may be a bit earlier.

Among the burials in the cemetery, two findings stand out. A square pit turned out to be a ‘family grave’ of two adults and two children. Traces of wooden corner posts and beams hint at a complex grave architecture. Also unusual is the burial of a child who probably suffered from hydrocephalus, a disease that leads to excessive amounts of cerebrospinal fluid accumulating inside the skull. This can lead to increased intracranial pressure, which also affects the brain.

 In fetuses and infants whose skull bones are not yet solid, the pressure is equalized by balloon-like skull expansion. Due to the high intracranial pressure, a ‘hydrocephalus’ can lead to various problems. Patients often require care and only have a short life expectancy if medical treatment is not provided. In the case of the child from Wettin-Löbejün, the special concern of the community is evidenced by beads placed in the chest area.

Grave of a child with ‘hydrocephalus’ from Wettin-Löbejün. Photo: Oliver Dietrich / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt
Grave of a child with ‘hydrocephalus’ from Wettin-Löbejün. Photo: Oliver Dietrich / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt

The archaeological documentation work in the area of Wettin-Löbejün will be completed by the end of August 2024.

State Office for Monument Preservation and Archaeology (LDA)

Cover Image: The archaeological site at Wettin-Löbejün. Photo: Oliver Dietrich / State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology Saxony-Anhalt

Related Articles

Impressive proof of technology transfer in Antiquity times “2700 year- old a Leather Armor”

20 July 2022

20 July 2022

Design and construction details of the unique leather-scaled armor found in a horse rider’s tomb in northwest China indicate that...

Remarkable discovery of Iron Age and Roman treasures found near a boggy area on Anglesey

29 February 2024

29 February 2024

Metal detectorist Ian Porter unearthed sixteen historical artifacts in a boggy field on Anglesey. Among the items found were Iron...

The 3,000-Year-Old Ancient City is Under Danger

8 February 2021

8 February 2021

For the port planned to be built in Izmir’s Aliağa district, a part of the 3,000-year-old ancient city is in...

Archaeologists uncover 850-year-old 170 silver medieval coins in an ancient grave, in Sweden

27 April 2024

27 April 2024

During archaeological excavations in a medieval graveyard in Brahekyrkan on the Swedish island of Visingsö, archaeologists uncovered about 170 silver...

Khufu Boat moved to its New Museum by Smart Vehicle

8 August 2021

8 August 2021

A 4,600-year-old intact wooden boat bearing the name of an Egyptian pharaoh, Khufu, was transported to a new museum about...

A Rare Bilingual Inscription Discovered in Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk Province

28 June 2024

28 June 2024

Saudi Arabia’s Heritage Commission announced the discovery of a rare bilingual inscription in the village of Alqan in the Tabuk...

A new study says genes and languages aren’t always together

22 November 2022

22 November 2022

Over 7,000 languages are spoken around the world. This linguistic diversity, like biological traits, is passed down from generation to...

The discovery that surprised archaeologists; a Rare glass cup adorning the table of rich Romans in Crimea

2 April 2022

2 April 2022

A discovery made in Frontovoye-3 necropolis in Crimea shows that during the Roman Empire there were more centers of glass...

Archaeologists discover medieval a tableman gaming piece in Bedfordshire, England

26 April 2023

26 April 2023

Archaeologists in Bedfordshire, England, have made an intriguing discovery: a tableman gaming piece was discovered at a medieval site. Cotswold...

Infinite Embrace: New research sheds light on Bronze Age family relationships that link Britain to Luxembourg

30 January 2024

30 January 2024

A new study of early Bronze Age examples from Luxembourg and Britain, led by researchers from the universities of Mainz...

Archaeologists explore Eastern Zhou Dynasty mausoleum in China’s Henan

30 January 2022

30 January 2022

An archaeological survey of a royal mausoleum of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty (770 B.C.-256 B.C.) has been launched in central...

Mysterious Handprints Found in the Ancient Mayan Cave

1 May 2021

1 May 2021

In Mexico, home to ancient civilizations such as the Maya, Aztec, and Inca, archaeologist Sergio Grosjean found dozens of mysterious...

‘Theodoric the Great’ villa mosaic found near Verona in Italy

17 April 2022

17 April 2022

A section of the ancient Roman mosaic flooring from the 5th century AD villa of Ostrogoth king Theodoric the Great...

1,600-Year-Old Tomb of First Maya King Discovered in Caracol, Belize

11 July 2025

11 July 2025

Archaeologists have unearthed the 1,600-Year-Old Tomb of First Maya King at Caracol, Belize, marking one of the most significant Maya...

Scientists reconstruct Late Bronze and Iron Age Mediterranean silver trade

11 July 2021

11 July 2021

Scientists have recreated the Eastern Mediterranean silver trade across a time span that includes the conventional dates of the Trojan...