Oldendorf (Luhe): Mystical Oldendorfer Totenstatt
Oldendorf (Luhe)
Oldendorfer Totenstatt is one of the most mystical sites in Lüneburg Heath. Its 4000-year history as a burial ground gives the site a particular atmosphere, especially in the morning mist or during sunsets.
Oldendorfer Totenstatt (located about 1.5 kilometres from the village centre)
is one of the most interesting stone burial sites of the Lüneburg District and
a must-see for visitors. You should definitely visit this key attraction of Lüneburg Heath.
The
burial ground includes sites dating from almost all prehistoric and early
historic eras.
The
first site plan of Oldendorfer Totenstatt dates from the previous century.
It assigned numbers to the graves, a numbering that has been maintained to this
day. F Laux, who excavated the burial site, was able to determine a
chronological sequence based on the pottery found and the associated
construction type of the megalithic tombs. The graves are listed in
chronological order as follows:
The
oldest grave at Oldendorfer Totenstatt is grave III. This was termed
an ‘unchambered long barrow’ because no stone burial chamber was identified
within the 60 m long and 7 m wide earth dam, which is surrounded by erratic
boulders. Only when the grave was excavated and soil discolourations were discovered
did it become evident that there had been a wooden grave chamber within the
structure.
The construction of grave II is very different from that of the other long
barrows: the grave chamber lies within an oval-shaped round barrow rather than within
a long earth dam. The chamber measured 5.2 x 1.6 m and contained four bays of
different sizes. The grave contained two sets of remains: preserved bones could
be identified as those of an approximately 50-year old man and an approximately
30-year old woman.
Grave
IV is one of the most magnificent
megalithic graves of Lüneburg District. It was originally surrounded by around
108 megaliths. The grave chamber contained five bays. It is of particularly
interest that this grave and the pottery found in it from the time of the construction
mark the end of the megalithic culture in the west of Lüneburg District. The culture
persisted for longer in the eastern part of the district.
The
burial mounds within and around the Totenstatt date to the late Early Stone Age
and the Bronze Age, but most have not (yet) been studied. The same is true for two
urn cemeteries from the pre-Roman Iron Age and the time of the migrations, as
well as for various sites of the Middle- and Late Stone Age. It seems that people
have visited the area of the Totenstatt throughout history.
You can view the finds from the
graves of the Totenstatt in the Archäologischen
Museum Oldendorf/Luhe (Amelinghausener Str. 16b), where you
will also find the permanent exhibition "Wohnungen für die Ewigkeit. 5700
Jahre Oldendorfer Totenstatt” (Dwellings for Eternity: 5700 years of the Oldendorfer
Totenstatt).