22 June 2025 The Future is the Product of the Past

Remarkably Preserved Bronze Age Urns, Thousands of Years Old, Unearthed in Germany

What appeared to be an ordinary stretch of County Road 17 between the towns of Moisburg and Immenbeck has turned out to be a significant archaeological site. Excavations conducted by the Hamburg Archaeological Museum, under the direction of district archaeologist Dr. Jochen Brandt, have revealed numerous urns dating back to the Late Bronze Age (1200-600 BC). The discovery was made during the groundwork for a planned drainage ditch.

Urns, essentially vessels, have served as a common practice for containing cremated remains for millennia across various cultures and throughout history. Predominantly crafted from materials like ceramic, stone, glass, or metal, their designs and ornamentation often reflected the cultural beliefs, social status, and artistic styles of the period and the people who used them. Beyond their practical function of holding ashes, urns frequently held symbolic significance, sometimes interred with grave goods or inscriptions intended to honor or accompany the deceased into the afterlife. The archaeological study of urns provides invaluable insights into ancient burial rituals, artistic traditions, and societal structures, offering tangible connections to past civilizations.

While archaeologists were aware of the potential for finds in this area – urns had been discovered along the same road in the 1930s – they were astounded by the well-preserved condition of the recent discoveries. “For the first time in many years, we have succeeded in recovering complete cremations from an intensively cultivated area,” stated Dr. Brandt. He further explained, “Usually, urns have almost completely fallen victim to intensive modern agriculture.”

This urn still stands in the stone packing that protected it from destruction for 3,000 years. Credit: Archaeological Museum Hamburg / BU
This urn still stands in the stone packing that protected it from destruction for 3,000 years. Credit: Archaeological Museum Hamburg / BU

The Hamburg Archaeological Museum, with the valuable assistance of volunteers, unearthed and excavated nearly 30 graves at the site. In line with typical Late Bronze Age burial practices, most of the urns were found nestled within boxes constructed of fieldstones and were originally covered with a single large stone.

“Unfortunately, and this is also characteristic of the period, very little besides the cremated bones of the deceased is found within the urns,” Dr. Brandt noted. There is hope, however, that scientific examination of the cremated remains – the ashes left after cremation – will yield further information. Funding is currently being sought to analyze these remains, which could potentially reveal the gender and age of individuals who lived approximately 3,000 years ago.

The archaeological excavation was undertaken by the Hamburg Archaeological Museum in its capacity as the responsible scientific institution for the professional preservation of archaeological monuments within the Harburg district.

This urn was additionally covered with a large bowl placed over it. Credit: Archaeological Museum Hamburg / BU
This urn was additionally covered with a large bowl placed over it. Credit: Archaeological Museum Hamburg / BU

The discovery was made in the context of a construction project aimed at improving drainage along the K17 between Moisburg and Immenbeck. The project, which commenced at the end of March, involves the creation of a new, deeper road ditch. Rainwater will be directed into the ground via an infiltration basin, with a settling basin built upstream to capture pollutants. As part of the project, 35 new small-leaved linden trees will replace those that were felled. The construction work is anticipated to take around four months, while the archaeological excavations have now been completed.

Archäologischen Museums Hamburg

Related Articles

In Lake Mendota, Wisconsin archaeologists discover the oldest canoe ever found in the Great Lakes region

23 September 2022

23 September 2022

A group of divers from Madison, Wisconsin’s Lake Mendota emerged on Thursday carrying a remarkable piece of history for the...

Human history in one click: Database with 2,400 prehistoric sites

10 August 2023

10 August 2023

The role of culture in human spread: Digital data collection contains 150 years of research. Human history in one click:...

Roman-era chambers and clay offering vessels found in Antiocheia Ancient City, in southern Turkey

24 October 2022

24 October 2022

During excavations in southern Turkey’s ancient city of Antiocheia, archaeologists discovered late Roman-era chambers and clay offering vessels. Antakya, better...

Over 70 Archaeological Sites Identified in Canada’s Chilcotin Region, Uncovering Secwépemc Pit Houses Over 4,000 Years Old

29 March 2025

29 March 2025

Recent archaeological findings indicate that the Secwépemc people’s historical presence in the Chilcotin region of British Columbia, Canada, is more...

An Elamite inscription attributed to Xerxes the Great was found at Persepolis

26 February 2022

26 February 2022

During the classification and documentation project of inscribed objects and fragmentary inscriptions in the Persepolis Museum reserves, experts discovered a...

4,500-Year-Old Three Warrior Graves Found in Germany, One Still Wearing an Arm Guard

30 January 2025

30 January 2025

Extraordinary discovery during the construction of a New Power Line: Archaeologists unearth a cemetery from the Copper Age with Three...

Man-made Viking-era cave discovered in Iceland Bigger, Older Than Previously Thought

2 June 2022

2 June 2022

Archaeologists from the Archaeological Institute of Iceland have uncovered an extensive system of interconnected structures that are not only much...

A stone statue (Balbal) with height up to 3 meters found in the Issyk-Kul region of Kyrgyzstan

18 October 2022

18 October 2022

A balbal (stone statue) with a height of up to 3 meters was found during agricultural work in the Ak-Bulun...

Ancient DNA Reveals Missing Link in the Origins of Indo-European Languages Spoken by 40% of the World

6 February 2025

6 February 2025

A study published in the journal Nature has genetically identified the origins of the Indo-European language family, which includes over...

Germany: 700-year-old Causeway Found Under Central Berlin Street

19 February 2022

19 February 2022

Archaeologists from the Landesdenkmalamt Berlin (LDA) made a sensational find during their excavation at Molkenmarkt: about 2.50 m below Stralauer...

Deadly Omens Revealed from 4,000-year-old Babylonian Tablets

10 August 2024

10 August 2024

Researchers successfully deciphered 4,000-year-old cuneiform tablets discovered over a century ago in what is now Iraq.  The tablets, housed at...

Archaeologists deciphered the Sabaean inscription on a clay jar finds link between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba

3 April 2023

3 April 2023

Archaeologists deciphered a partially preserved inscription that was found on the neck of a large jar dated back to the...

The Americas’ oldest known bead discovered near Douglas, Wyoming

9 March 2024

9 March 2024

Archaeologists have discovered the oldest known bead in the Americas at the La Prele Mammoth site in Converse County, United...

Hittite Royal Seal Warns ‘Whoever Breaks This Will Die’

7 July 2024

7 July 2024

During the excavations in Kırıkkale, a cuneiform seal used by the royal family during the Hittite Empire was unearthed. The...

Archaeologists discovered how wine was cooled in Roman legions on the Danube

15 September 2023

15 September 2023

Lead archaeologist Piotr Dyczek, a professor at the Center for Research on Antiquities of Southeastern Europe at the University of...