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A SPATIAL ANALYSIS OF MEGALITHIC TOMBS

                                     6. SUB- AND NON-MEGALITHIC GRAVES AND THE ORIGIN OF MEGALITHIC TOMBS.

By

Maximilian O. Baldia 1993, 1995, 1999-April 25, 2006©
All rights reserved

 

 

 

 

6.1         Introduction

TRB megalithic tombs, as the most spectacular burial architecture, have captivated researchers for centuries, but to fathom their origin it is necessary to survey their relationship to the seemingly unspectacu­lar sub- and non-megalithic graves. Failure to understand this relationship has led to ironic conclusions. For example Brøndsted (1957:190), quoted by T. Madsen (1979:315), resolved that the “dolmen is the vis­ible result of incoming religious ideas.” Thus, according to T. Madsen: “Brøndsted clearly expressed the generally held opinion that the coming of megalithic graves meant a decisive change in the religious life of the early farmers.” Contrary to this still common view, the  seemingly less impressive, difficult to find and hard to date graves (Fig. 6.1) are an integral part of the TRB's mortuary complex.

 

 

 

Figure 6.1. Mound LA 14 with urdolmen-size burial pits, Graves 1-3, Ostenfeld, Schleswig-Holstein (Hingst 1974:41 Fig. 18).   A total of four graves partly overlapped. The rectangular Grave 1 (2.6:0.7 m) contained a trapezoidal arrowhead in its lower fill.   Only grave 4 (not shown) contained a diagnostic funnel beaker fragment. The border to the old humus layer could not be determined.

 

 

Like many of the TRB's culture traits, the burial practices are inherited from earlier times, although their connection to the preced­ing cultures are, as the TRB's origin itself, hardly understood. Yet it is this seemingly simple grave architecture which gave rise to megalithic chambers and mounds. Their architectural forms coexisted with megalithic tombs, frequently in the same mounds. They even outlasted megalithic architecture, perhaps giving rise to the KAK and EGK/Corded Ware culture burial architecture, as seems to be indicated by the stone-packed graves and sub-megalithic MN B/LN cists.

Continuous use of the same burial site is, for example, demonstrated at Bordesholm-Tannenberg­koppel. There a Konens Høj type grave (Fig. 6.2) was found near two megalithic tombs, along with MN B/LN earth-graves, Bronze Age tumuli, and Late Bronze Age and Iron Age urn graves (Hingst 1974:20-22, 67). The same is true for the nearby Flintbek settlement area where the earliest occupation starts during the EN I, most likely sometime between 4400-3860 B.C. (Zich 1992, 1994a, b, 1995a ). 

 

 

Figure 6.2. Konens Høj type grave with EN C/II funnel beaker, Bordesholm-Tannenberg­koppel, Schleswig-Holstein (Hingst 1974:22 Fig. 4).

 

 

Table 6.1

 

Non- and sub-megalithic tombs

¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾

                         Non-megalithic graves

                                                 Unlined burial pits

                                                 Coffins (in pits)

                                                 Wood-lined and/or covered burial pits

                                                 Graves with wooden superstructures

¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾¾

                         Sub-megalithic graves (small to medium size fieldstones and stone slabs)

                                                 Stone pavements usually on level ground

                                                 Fieldstone-frame on level ground

                                                 Stone-lined and/or covered burial pits

                                                 Coffins in stone-lined and/or covered pits or on level ground

                                                 Graves with low bench-like walls (courses of small stones/drywall)

                                                 Cists of sub-megalithic stone slabs

                                                 Masonry chambers with stone or wooden roofs

                                                 Corbeled chambers

 

 

6.2         The roots of the TRB burial practice and architecture

A bewildering variety of burial architecture occurs in the TRB. It may be categorized into non-megalithic, sub-megalithic, and a megalithic architecture, albeit with considerable overlap, including hybrid tombs. The graves may or may not be covered by a mound (cf. Ebbesen 1994a). Without endeavoring to prescribe a new typology, the architecture is listed under two classes (non-megalithic = earth and wood architecture, sub-megalithic = architecture incoporating), according to increasing architectural complexity in Table 6.1

Several of these forms arose before the TRB became clearly definable in the archaeological record. Among these are the true graves or burial pits originally called earth- or flat-graves to distinguish them form burials within mounds. The true graves were typical of the Danubian LBK, STK, Rössen, Lengyel, and non-Danubian Ertebølle cultures.

Haüsler views TRB's flexed burials as an inheritance from the Danubian agriculturists. The reappearance of extended burials on the western fringes of the former Danubian culture area is thus seen as a reversal of the traditional agricultural flexed burial practices (Häusler 1992:278, 282, 285, 291; 1994:37-38). The TRB, which straddles the ancient Danubian domain and that of the Mesolithic, is said to express this hunter-gatherer / agriculturist burial dualism in its practices. Thus the southern Baalberge flexed burials (resting on the right side) first oriented west, later east, are stated to be derived from the Lengyel sphere. The later Bernburg phase and MN V KAK continued this norm.

LBK, STK and Rössen burials usually contained a single, flexed interment similar to the MN TRB graves of Central Germany (Beier 1991a) and Heek, Westphalia (Fig. 6.__**; Bakker 1992; Finke 1979:14-16, 1980:13-14). One of the oldest cemeteries in Lower Saxony is Wittmar, Kr. Wolfenbüttel. It is in the area where the TRB's megalithic tombs overlap with the gallery-graves centuries later. The cemetery contained LBK, STK and Rössen burials, excavated in the 70's (Rötting et al. 1979). Surprisingly, while most interments exhibited various flexed posi­tions, Grave 39 contained a clearly supine skeleton (Rötting 1985).

 

 

Figure 6.3. The silhouette of a skeleton in flexed position in a burial pit Heek, Kr. Borken, Westphalia (Finke 1980:14 Fig. 7).

The graves of each of the older cultures have a relatively consistent orientation that shows a gradual change through time. More or less stan­dardized orientations can also be observed in EN graves. In Denmark the east-west orientation is said to predominate in over half of them (Ebbesen 1994a). The row “cemeteries” of usually paired MN stone-packed graves of Vroue Hede, Jylland are also mostly oriented east-west, with occasionally graves facing north-south to north northeast-south southwest (Bakker 1980c, Jørgensen 1977 Fig. 33, 113, 154). For similar alignments cf. Midgley (1992:415 Fig. 110) and Ebbesen (1994a:50 Fig. 4). But unlike the earlier cultures the orientation of TRB graves is less likely to be the result of a purely religious expression, as will be shown in Chapter 17. 

 

The older cultures occasionally interred two individuals in the same grave in close proximity. Both interments had the same orientation, but the individuals are placed in exactly the opposite direction, sometimes even  antipodal, i.e. foot to foot (e.g. Behrens 1973). This position is foreshadowed in the Swedish Ertebølle ce­metery Skateholm II. Grave 10 has an antipodal-like double grave, although the two skeletons are more side by side rather than foot to foot, with one male extended, the other in a sitting position (M. Larsson 1989:214-216, Fig. 3, 5). The four TRB extend­ed skeletons in the (wooden) plank lined grave at Bygholm Nørremark, Jylland, were fully antipodal (T. Madsen 1979:309; 1993:99 unnumbered Figure; Rønne 1979:5-6). According to Tempel (1979:114) it is possible that the 40 cm high “stone-bench” architecture of Cuxhaven-Gudendorf (Fig. 6.__) also contained such a (foot to foot?) double burial.

 

 

Figure 6.4. Grave (the 3.85:1.20 m ) with stone benches-like courses of small to medium size field stones Cuxhaven-Gudendorf (Tempel 1979a:115, Fig. 2). Pottery not to scale.

 

 

The two pots from Cuxhaven-Gudendorf were of slightly different periods (Fig. 6.4**). Temple relates the artifacts with those of the EN Haaßel dolmen and notes that the structure had a floor pavement covered with flint chips, which is also found in dolmen. In Denmark a similarly rounded structure, without paved floor, is known from Forum, Brøndum s., (Ebbesen 1994:52 Fig. 12). The published photograph shows that its stone frame could have had more than a one layer of stones. The grave is related to Ebbesen’s Type b and is dated to the EN Phase 2-3 (Table 6.__). The stone pavement and stone bench-like drywall of Cuxhaven-Gudendorf are features shared with Ebbesen’s graves type d (MN A?) and e. The latter, identified as Bjørnsholm type, is dated to Phase 2.

Just like these graves, the burial antipodal position within them probably was in use throughout a wide area for a long time. Group burials with flexed antipodal position are shown by Behrens (1973:240 Fig. 102) for the Salzmünde phase. The KAK flexed antipodal double burial at Zauschwitz (Behrens 1993:241 Fig. 103a) shows that this practice continued right to the end of the MN A.

 

 

 

Figure 6.5. Stone framed graves below Sarnowo (Chimielevski 1952:50-51, 56 Fig. 17-18, 23). Left and center = extented burial with collared flask Mound 1, Grave 1. Right = Mound 2, Graves 1-4.

 

 

The burial pits (Ebbeson’s Type a) plus graves with a single layered fieldstone frame (Type b) and the supine burials are thought to be a continuation of the Mesolithic burial traditions (Ebbesen 1994a:80). They are demonstrated for Sarnowo (Fig. 6.__). But skeletal remains from EN non- and sub-megalithic graves are extremely rare in Denmark. Ebbesen was only able to catalog six out of 86 graves with evidence of interments, all showing signs of supine position. Among these is the Dragsholm grave, classified as an EN Phase 1 Type a grave by Ebbesen. T. Madsen (1993:95), noted that it was the only grave of  the eastern Oxie group, adding that this extended burial and its grave goods exhibited “markedly Mesolithic charactereistics” (Fig. 6._).

 

 

 

Figure 6.6 Grave II, Drugsholm, Fårevejle s., Holbæk a., Sjælland (Tilley 1996:81 Fig. 2.5 after P. Nielsen 1981). The ca. 20 year old male was buried with a Type A funnel beaker, a Type I battle-ax, transverse arrowheads, pendants etc. in a simple east-west oriented Oxie Group Type a burial pit (Ebbeson 1994:88) dated ca. 3800/3700 B.C.

 

 

There are indeed remarkably similar mortuary practices recorded for the Late Meso­lithic and the TRB (cf. Tilley 1996:109-115). These include single and multiple interments in flexed and extended positions. Drugsholm is a good, early example (Fig. 6._). The remains of two “dismembered” individuals at Fakkemose, Langeland, found in a pit below a dolmen in tumulus (Skaarup 1985:207 Fig. 222, 1990:79 Fig. 6)  may also imply a close relationship. 

 

But perhaps the most convincing evidence stems from EN C/II grave from Lohals, associated with a ribbed collared flask (Skaarup 1985:324-325 Fig. 374-375). The position of the extended supine male and the the somewhat supine female on top of him is nearly identical to the Mesolithic interment of Skateholm I Grave 14 (eg. Coles and Coles 1989:71 Fig. 50). Also The TRB tree trunk coffin of Himmelpforten Grave V (Tempel 1979a:111-112), which itself foreshadows a Bronze Age practice (Fig. 2.__*), and similar EN burials in Denmark (Ebbesen 1994a) have an intriguing Mesolithic counterpart at Skateholm II. Cremations in TRB mounds of Central Moravia (e.g. HouëŤová 1960). Likewise, the burial pits in the village (Site 1A) immediately adjacent to Sarnowo’s Long-mound 1 (Fig. 17.41), contains rectangular burial pits with one or more individuals (Midgley 1992:411-412, Wiklak 1986). Both TRB examples exhibit partial human cremations akin to Skateholm. Also, firewood was placed under the five bodies in the burned wooden chamber of the Skibshøj long-mound (Fig. 6.__, 6.__, 9; e.g. T. Madsen 1979:305).

In the Late Mesolithic cemetery of Tybrind Vig on Fyn (e.g. Coles and Coles 1989), a woman was buried in extended position with a new born baby laid across her chest. A similar situation is described for Vedbæk, Sjælland. More than twenty Late Mesolithic graves were found. One grave contained the extend­ed skeleton of an 18 year old woman with an 8-9 month old fetus.  Another burial contained two adults with a one year old baby between them. The 25-30 year old person had been killed with a bone point, reminiscent of the later evidence at Niederbösa (see below) and the similarly aged individuals of Skipshøj.

 

 

 

Figure 6.7 Extended supine burial with beads and boar’s tusks in stone-framed grave, Sarnowo Mound 3, Grave 1 (Chmielewski 1952:62 Fig. 29).

 

 

At Skateholm two sites have been located approximately halfway between the passage-graves of Ö. Torp and Snårestad. Skateholm I had fifty-three graves. One grave had a sitting female with a baby in her lap, as well as 30 tusks from wild boars. Skateholm II is the older cemetery. It contained sixteen graves.  In one grave a wood/bark coffin held a man, two axes, four blades, a bone needle etc. In Grave 15 a young man was interred in a seated position with three antlers used to prop him up. The above mentioned Grave 14 contained an old man in extended position with a young woman next to and over him in a flexed position. Grave 26 contained a tightly flexed elderly woman. There were six dog burials, including Grave 21 - one of the most “richly” furnished of all the graves, containing a decorated antler hammer, dear antlers, and three blades (M. Larsson 1989:219-220, 217 Fig. 7). Similarly, the EN TRB burial at Weißenfels, Central Germany contained a man, a woman and two children together with twenty cattle skulls and, most importantly, nine dogs  (Beh­rens 1973:211, Behrens 1953a: 67 ff., U. Fischer 1956:63-63). Boar’s tusks were found at Sarnowo (Fig. 6._).

Within the context of the two Mesolithic cemeteries there were several hundred structures, including a ca. 60 m2 feature. A 4:4 m structure within Skateholm II could be interpreted as a chamber-like structure, mortuary or cult house (M. Larsson 1989:220). Some graves provide evidence of a wooden superstructure that was later fired and backfilled. This process was accompanied with ritual flint knapping. There is also evidence of ritual feasts and food deposits. Some parts of individual skeletons were removed before burial. None of these practices would be out of place in the TRB and to some extent even in the German Gallery-Grave culture.

Ebbesen (1994a) and Tilley (1996) argue for a continuity of Mesolithic burial practices in Scandinavia. Häusler, following U. Fischer (1956) also attributes the single, extended, supine burials, in disparate TRB earth-graves, to an Epipaleolithic substratum, as exemplified at the TRB cemeteries of Ostorf and Tangermünde (e.g. Häusler 1994:31 Fig. 8, 16-17). The earliest mound covered Baalberge and Salzmünde Plattengräber and Blockkisten, the Nordic urdolmen, and the Kujavian long-mounds follow the same mortuary practice (Häusler 1992:291; 1994:47), as do the burial places of the northern part of the Walternienburg (U. Fischer 1956). In the gallery-graves of Hesse extended burials may also predominate (Häusler 1994:50) and the disarticulation (Chapter 5), as at Odagsen and the Danish tombs, may be attributable to decay, animal activity and clearing for later interments (Benneke 1985b, Grupe 1984).

 

 

Figure 6.8: Sarnowo double burial (Chimielewski 1952:55 Fig. 24).

 

 

However, entombment in early graves did not always accommodate merely a single, supine, extended individual. For instance, at Sarnowo Mound 2 contained a pair of extended, side by side skeletons (Fig. 6._). Mound 8 may represent a related burial practice (Fig. 13.6). There were three individuals near each other in the Iłowo 1 long-mound  (Chimielewski 1952:41 Fig. 11). And while Häusler refers to the supine entombment as the primary Mesolithic burial practice, he does draw attention to a number of other, less common customs. At Tangermünde most burials were extended, but the only double interment included a supine and a flexed skeleton.

 

Likewise, at Mesolithic Skateholm a double burial (Skateholm I, Grave 14) consisted of a supine male and a flexed female (Coles and Coles 1989:71 Fig. 50, right). “Supine, sitting, and hocker (flexed) positions” were observed and “many variations occur ..., as for example, in the hocker position, where the range is from weakly-marked positions in which the extremities are only slightly angled to an extremely contorted position, which must mean that the deceased was tightly trussed up and bound hand and foot” (L. Larsson 1989:214). These Mesolithic variations are attrib­uted to age and sex differentiation, but there was also an increased tendency towards flexed burials through time.

Similarly, the Falbygden primeval passage-grave Gökhem 17 contains perhaps the oldest C14 flexed burial in the the more northerly parts of TRB (Persson and Sjögren 1994, ibid. in press). The 3:2 m chamber (Kammergrab) of Niederbösa, Kr. Sonderhausen contained 78 interments, both flexed and extended. The depositions occurred in two  separate chamber divisions, which were assumed to represent moieties. One individual showed evidence of a projectile point injury. The chamber contained wood remnants, Salzmünde and Walternienburg pottery, flint tools, animal teeth and lower jaws. The tomb was later used for Corded Ware interments (e.g. Beier 1991a Plate 10,2; Müller-Karpe 1974:961 No. 600).

Haüsler views TRB's flexed burials as an inheritance from the Danubian agriculturists. The reappearance of extended burials on the western fringes of the former Danubian culture area is thus seen as a reversal of the traditional agricultural flexed burial practices (Häusler 1992:278, 282, 285, 291; 1994:37-38). The TRB, which straddles the ancient Danubian domain and that of the Mesolithic, is said to express this hunter-gatherer / agriculturist burial dualism in its practices. Thus the southern Baalberge flexed burials (resting on the right side) first oriented west, later east, are stated to be derived from the Lengyel sphere. The later Bernburg phase and MN V KAK continued this norm.

Although several archaeologists (e.g. Ebbesen 1994a, Tilley 1996) argue for a continuity of Mesolithic burial traditions in the TRB, it is risky to extend this argument to the supine position which supposedly occurs in the earliest megalithic chambers. Aside from the fact that such chambers were built several hundred years after the TRB becomes recognizable, there is an extraordinary paucity of extended burials in urdolmen (cf. Chapter 7). As a result Tilly (1996:82-83), using Ebbeson’s (1990:66) phrasing, diplomatically states that "the body was typically lain out on its back in supine position and no other has been documented."

Tilley can cite only Ølstykke, Kellerød and Grøfte A and B, out of presumably thousands of Scandinavian dolmen (ibid. 130-133) in support for the continuity of Mesolithic burial practices in megalithic chambers. Worse yet, the evidence largely comes from 19th and early 20th century excavations. In the case of Ølstykke, the only true urdolmen as defined below, a supine skeleton was positioned along one side of the chamber (Fig. 8.__; cf. Midgley  1992:424, 449-450; Persson and Sjögren in press). Grøfte had two cist-like chambers, neither being a true urdolmen, containing at least one double burial, whose limited remains were presumably scattered by animal action, so that there is no direct evidence of their burial position (Ebbesen 1990. Bennike 1990). In addition, assigning the rare urdolmen containig extended skeletons to the TRB is sometimes questionable (Raddatz 1979:130). This is illustrated at Bogø By, Denmark, where an extended burial and an EN C/II pot was found together with later EGK artifacts in an urdolmen without entrance (Fig. 8.3***). In fact, in danish passage-graves the only more or less articulated skeletons are the last interred (Bennike 1990). EN flexed, multiple interments occur at Preußlitz, dated to the Baalberge phase (Behrens 1973:239 Fig. 101c, Preuß 1980:24). The sole human evidence in the above mentioned Westphalian MN flat-grave also reveals a flexed burial. It is, therefore, wiser to view the Mesolithic connection in terms of the continued use of a broad variety of burial practices with regional differences that include flexed and extended burials, of adults, child and new born, animal burials, perforat­ed teeth, boar's tusks, (flat-grave) cemeteries, wooden superstructures (later set on fire or otherwise demolished), feasts, ritual flint knapping, etc. But many of these attributes also occur in the Danubian derived cultures.

 

           

 

Figure 6.9  Reconstructed wooden chambers, Granstedt, Lower Saxony (Temple 1984).

 

 

6.3         Sub- and non-megalithic graves and their relationship with megalithic tombs.

Frequently earth-graves are found in direct association with megalithic tombs. This was the case in Issendorf, where at least four graves were located 24 m north of a megalithic tomb. The graves had the same orientation as the megalithic tomb. Unfortunately the preservation in the sand dunes was very poor so that additional graves can only be suspected on the basis of surface finds. The Issendorf graves showed evidence of chamber-like structures suggesting to Temple that earth graves, including simple stone pavements and stone-lined graves may have been rudimentary chambers, often having wooden super structures. Such chambers have parallels in tumuli and long-mounds.

 

Two wooden chambers (Fig. 6.5) were reconstructed in their own tumulus at Granstedt (Tempel 1984 and verbal communication May 1994). Offerings of pottery were placed on top of the wooden roof of each chamber in a fashion documented for flat-graves (Temple 1979a). One can only wonder if these box shaped chamber are not related to the Konens Høj type structure (Ebbesen 1994, type g), which may have had tent shaped superstructure or a box-shaped, plank enclosed chambers or "coffins" (T. Madsen 1993:96).

 

 Non- and sub-megalithic graves cross the line between flat-graves and megalithic chambers by turning up in mounds that also contain megalithic chambers, thus implying similar functions. For example, at Flintbek LA 3 a series of successive earth-graves, including the Konens Høj type, culminated in the construction of four extended dolmen, all contained in a rebuilt and expanded long-mound (Fig. 17.21). Stone framed and stone lined, bathtub-shaped pits occur as single features in their own long-mounds with megalithic enclosure Likewise stone-framed graves, somtimes apperantly erected on the ancient soil surface, and stone-lined, bathtub-shaped graves occur in flat-graves and mounds with rectangular and trapezoi­dal megalithic enclosures (Fig. 6._).

 

On the west side of the Elbe partial excavations by Schuchhardt (1905) located three pavements in the rectangular Long-mounds I and II at Grundoldendorf-Bliedersdorf.The longest mound (I) had two pavements, one on each side of the central dolmen. Pavement A, like the dolmen, was perpendicular to the long-mound's axis, while Pavement B was parallel. Long-mound II was adjacent to and in line with I. It was the smallest mound of the group and contained only one pavement similar to Pavement B. It is tempting to see this change in orientation within the mound as a chronological indicator, similar to the change observable in dolmen orientation of Flintbek LA3. Most significantly, in LA3 the change started before the construction of extended dolmen. All three Grundoldendorf-Bliedersdorf pavements consisted of head size cobbles and measured 2.40:1.20, 2.15:1.55, and 2:30:1,30 m. These dimensions are only slightly smaller than the inside dimensions of the neighboring dolmen and imply a chamber-like function. This was shown in 1846, when von Estorf excavated six skeletons, each on a pavement, adjacent to a megalithic chamber in a mound with mega­lithic enclosure in the Lüneburg Heath. The pavements imply wooden structures or coffins as shown by more recent excavations, such as Totenstadt, Oldendorf/Luhe, where wooden chambers could be demonstrated in the long-mounds with passage-graves (Tempel 1979a). In Denmark seven such pavements have been cataloged, all from northern Jylland (Ebbesen 1994:49 Fig. 2, Type c), where they date to the EN Phase 2 and 3 (Table 6.__).

 

 

Figure 6.10. Stone-lined grave and bathtub-shaped pit in megalithic enclosures (Schuldt 1972:184 Fig. 30).

 

 

A pavement also appeared below the tumulus Horneburg 1, Kr. Stade, near a megalithic tomb. The pavement ended with an upright stone plate (Tempel 1979a). The plate seems similar to the ones from the Issen­dorf flat-graves and a grave in Sievern, Kr. Stade. An analogous flat-lying stone plate was found in the stone-lined grave within a small rectangular long-mound with megalithic enclosure at Rothenmoor, Kr. Sternberg in Mecklenburg (Schuldt 1972:184 Plate b, A716/B28).  Originally these plates could have sealed the entrance to the grave. If so, it may be deduced that, like most megalithic chambers, many sub- and non-megalithic graves could have required repeated access for sequential burials. This was clearly the case with some very small Mecklenburg stone cists that contained multiple interments (Nilius 1979). Alternatively, the plates may simply be related to the relatively large end-stones of Type e graves a fieldstone frame with multiple courses (stone bench) Table 6.__,  dating to the EN Phase 2. (Ebbeson 1994 Fig. 22-24, 28-29). Some of Ebbesen’s illustrations actually reveal a layout akin to Konens Høj type wooden structures, except that the large wooden planks at either end have been replaced by these large stones. This kinship is strengthened by the stone cist in the southern mound of Barkær.

 

A major concentration of such cists is located in Wollschow, Kr. Pasewalk, where roughly 40 cists and urdolmen are located in a group. Schuldt (1975) suspected that most of them belonged to the EN. Two cists were contained in a 20 m long-mound with typical trapezoidal megalithic enclosure. The proximal end harbored a cist constructed of red sandstone slabs 1.9-1.7 m long and 1.5-1.2 m high. Near the distal end was a much smaller cist (0.85:0.5 m and 0.5 m high), covered with a single stone slab. It once contained three children, two were found facing each other in a flexed position, aged six  to eight years old.