Uckermark Stolpe (Allemagne): Badger digs up medieval warrior graves

Source - http://www.thelocal.de/sci-tech/20130813-51359.html



The warrior complete with sword and bowl. Photo: Felix Biermann


A reconstruction of how he may have looked when buried. Photo: Ottilie Blum






Archaeologists at the dig.  Photo: Felix Biermann

The Berliner Zeitung newspaper said Wilhelm called the experts as soon as he realized the animals had dug up bones. Archaeologists moved in and expanded the work of the badgers, freeing up eight graves, two of which were of noblemen.

"These are late Slavish graves," said Professor Felix Biermann from the Ernst-August University in Göttingen, who is leading the dig in the Uckermark Stolpe area. He said they dated from the first half of the 12th century AD.

"Apart from these last heathen Slavs, the whole surrounding area was already Christianized. It's special because these rulers still had their independent heathen beliefs."

The warrior graves were particularly exciting. The skeleton of one man, aged around 40, was complete with a two-edged sword, and a bronze bowl at his feet.

"At the time such bowls were used to wet the hands before eating," said Biermann. "The bowls would a sign that a man belonged to the upper classes."

He added that the warrior also had a bronze buckle with a snake's head, which probably came from Scandinavia. His grave also contained an arrow head.


The second warrior grave had already been robbed - although in another, the skeleton of a woman was found to have a coin in the mouth. "The belief at the time was that this was for the ferryman to cross over into the realm of the dead," said Biermann.


The Stolpe castle area where the graves were found   Photo: Felix Biermann