Forbidden passage? Secret medieval tunnel found beneath ancient pagan graves, archaeologists say

Archaeologists successful Germany precocious revealed a concealed passageway from the Middle Ages — a passageway hidden wrong a overmuch older burial site.

The findings were revealed successful a Jan. 29 property merchandise by the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology of Saxony-Anhalt (LDA Saxony-Anhalt).

The passageway was recovered successful the Middle Neolithic burial analyzable adjacent Reinstedt, Germany. Officials estimation the burial analyzable was utilized by members of the Baalberge civilization successful the 4th millennium B.C.

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Excavators recovered it precocious past twelvemonth up of upwind turbine construction, officials said.

Some 5,000 years later, an erdstall — oregon underground passageway strategy — was built into the loess, oregon compact wind-deposited silt, astatine the site.

Archaeologists successful Germany uncovered a medieval underground tunnel, seen astatine left, built into a overmuch older Neolithic burial analyzable adjacent Reinstedt. (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt, Ulf Petzschmann; iStock)

The erdstall dates backmost to the precocious Middle Ages — and officials said that its intent is unclear.

"Interpretations of erdstalls scope from hiding places to spaces utilized for cultic activities," the connection said.

Archaeologists initially believed the diagnostic was a grave. 

The ditch, described arsenic "trapezoidal," was portion of a tract that contained respective "poorly preserved" burials that day to the Late Neolithic play of the 3rd millennium B.C.

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Seeing a chromatic slab astatine the bluish extremity of the pit, archaeologists initially believed the diagnostic was a sedate — earlier realizing it was really an underground tunnel.

Officials said the diagnostic continued downward into the loess beneath the prehistoric site.

A chromatic slab astatine the entranceway of the erdstall was initially believed to people a sedate earlier archaeologists identified an underground tunnel. (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt, Ulf Petzschmann)

Excavators recovered precocious medieval pottery, galore stones and tiny cavities successful the loess capable — which made wide that the operation was an erdstall.

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The underground transition contained a horseshoe and immoderate traces of charcoal from a occurrence that "burned briefly," officials said — arsenic good arsenic carnal remains. 

The Neolithic ditch enclosure whitethorn person remained disposable supra crushed during medieval times, officials speculated. (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt, Simon Meier)

It appeared to beryllium intentionally sealed, adding to the enigma of the site.

Officials said, "At the narrowest constituent of the entrance, an accumulation of larger stones stacked connected apical of 1 different was observed, which could bespeak an intentional sealing of the entrance."

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Officials speculated the Neolithic ditch enclosure was apt inactive recognizable supra crushed during the precocious Middle Ages. It's imaginable that the passageway was built determination due to the fact that medieval Christians would person purposely avoided a pagan burial site.

Late medieval pottery, stones and tiny cavities helped corroborate the operation arsenic an erdstall, officials said. (Landesamt für Denkmalpflege und Archäologie Sachsen-Anhalt, Ulf Petzschmann)

The find is portion of a bid of caller archaeological discoveries reported crossed Germany.

Last summer, excavators recovered a mysterious Roman-era colony tract successful North Rhine-Westphalia, with gathering remains and artifacts surviving astir 2,000 years.

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During different summertime excavation, archaeologists unearthed a hoard of aboriginal medieval treasures — and a uncommon transverse — connected the banks of an inlet successful bluish Germany.