The Megalithic tombs in Haldensleben Forest are a group of more than 80
megalithic tomb
A megalith is a large stone that has been used to construct a prehistoric structure or monument, either alone or together with other stones. There are over 35,000 in Europe alone, located widely from Sweden to the Mediterranean sea.
The ...
s of the
Neolithic Age
The Neolithic period, or New Stone Age, is an Old World archaeological period and the final division of the Stone Age. It saw the Neolithic Revolution, a wide-ranging set of developments that appear to have arisen independently in several parts ...
, near
Haldensleben
Haldensleben (; Eastphalian: ''Halslä'') is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is the administrative seat of the Börde district.
Geography
It is situated on the Ohre river, near the confluence with its Beber tributary, and the parallel Mitt ...
, about north-west of
Magdeburg
Magdeburg (; nds, label=Low Saxon, Meideborg ) is the capital and second-largest city of the German state Saxony-Anhalt. The city is situated at the Elbe river.
Otto I, the first Holy Roman Emperor and founder of the Archdiocese of Magdebur ...
, in
Saxony-Anhalt
Saxony-Anhalt (german: Sachsen-Anhalt ; nds, Sassen-Anholt) is a state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony, Thuringia and Lower Saxony. It covers an area of
and has a population of 2.18 million inhabitants, making it the ...
, Germany.
Description
The group of Neolithic graves in the forest south-west of Haldensleben is the largest concentration of megalithic tombs in central Europe. In an area of about 5 by 5 kilometres, there are more than 80 graves, some in good condition. The location of about 50 more graves are known; some have been destroyed, or consist of one stone or loosely scattered stones.
["Megalithen im Haldenslebener Forst"]
''Region Braunschweig Ostfalen''. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
strahlen.org. Retrieved 9 March 2022.["Die Hünengräber im Haldensleber Forst"]
''Regio MD'' Retrieved 9 March 2022.
They date from the period 3500 to 3000 BC, and are in recognizable groups. They are mostly
passage grave
A passage grave or passage tomb consists of one or more burial chambers covered in earth or with stone, and having a narrow access passage made of large stones. These structures usually date from the Neolithic Age, and are found largely in Wester ...
s, built from granite boulders. The burial chambers are aligned east–west.
[
]
Notable graves
Three graves are of particular interest:[
At the ''Küchentannen'' ("kitchen fir trees") at there is a reconstructed, enclosed passage grave.
The ''Kaisergrab'' ("king's grave") at has an almost completely preserved burial chamber and surrounding setting of stones.
The ''Teufelsküche'' ("devil's kitchen") at has a well-preserved passage grave with two capstones and eight supporting stones."Das Großsteingrab Nr. 56 (Teufelsküche)"]
''Großsteingräber und Megalithbauwerke''. Retrieved 9 March 2022.
References
{{Reflist
Megalithic monuments in Germany
Archaeology of Saxony-Anhalt