A narrow and strage underground tunnel discovered in Saxony-Anhalt is linking medieval activity with a much older Neolithic site. Hidden inside a prehistoric enclosure, the find is giving archaeologists a rare look at how ancient places were reused centuries later.
The discovery was made near Reinstedt in the Harz district during excavations carried out before the construction of wind turbines on the Dornberg hill. What first looked like a simple feature quickly turned into something far more intriguing.
The area was already known as a burial landscape. Archaeologists had recorded crouched graves from the Late Neolithic and traces of what could be a Bronze Age burial mound, showing the site had been used and revisited over a very long time.
A Site Used Again And Again Over Thousands Of Years
At the center of the excavation is a large ditch linked to the Baalberge culture, which dates back to the fourth millennium BCE. According to a release published by State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology (LDA), this structure marks the earliest phase of activity on the site.
Later discoveries confirmed that the area didn’t lose its importance. As explained by the excavation team, the presence of younger burials suggests the site kept a special meaning for the communities that came after, even if their exact reasons remain unclear.
“The question arises as to how to interpret the findings. Perhaps the site, due to its significance as a pagan grave, was generally avoided by the local population and therefore particularly well-suited as a hiding place,” remarked the LDA.
What Looked Like A Grave Turned Out To Be Something Else
The underground passage first appeared as an oval pit, about two meters long and up to 75 centimeters wide, sealed by a heavy stone slab that initially suggested a grave. That interpretation was quickly ruled out.
On-site observations revealed that the fill sloped toward the north and extended into compact loess soil, a fine, wind-deposited sediment known for its stability, while fragments of late medieval pottery pointed to a much later phase of use.
Researchers identified the structure as an Erdstall, a narrow man-made underground tunnel found in loess soils. The corridor curves slightly, standing about one to 1.25 meters high and 50 to 70 centimeters wide, with features such as a carved step, a wall niche, and a pointed roof.
“It quickly became clear that this was a so-called ‘Erdstall’,” the LDA noted, describing these structures as narrow underground passages sometimes featuring chamber-like extensions.
Objects Reveal Why the Tunnel Was Closed
The finds inside the passage raise even more questions. As stated by the excavation data, archaeologists uncovered an iron horseshoe, the skeleton of a fox, and a number of small animal bones. At the bottom, they also recorded a thin layer of charcoal.
The soil around it had hardened but showed no signs of strong burning, which suggests a short, low-intensity fire rather than long-term use. Near the tightest part of the entrance, several large stones had been carefully stacked.
This likely means the tunnel was deliberately blocked at some point. They also point out that ancient burial sites were often seen as taboo in the medieval period, which may explain why such a hidden space was created in a place people didn’t visit often.
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