The Donzen-Siddernhausen dolmen is located between the villages of Donzen (Dohnsen) and Siddernhausen near the city of Bergen in the Kelle district, Lower Saxony.
Initially, the dolmen was located 500 m to the north. Excavations were carried out in 1977, after which the dolmen was reconstructed in a new place, where it is now.
Dolmen arose during the Neolithic and was destroyed presumably in the XVII-XVIII centuries. By the time of the study of the monument by archaeologists, large stones, probably representing parts of a dolmen, lay scattered in the field; part of the stones was eventually covered with earth, some were carried away. As a result of the destruction, a significant part of the dolmen was lost.
During excavations, it was found that the burial chamber originally consisted of 20-24 vertical stones and about 8 cornice stones. The dolmen had a side entrance; This type of tomb is known as the corridor tomb . The gaps between the vertical and cornice stones were sealed with dry masonry . The entire tomb was apparently originally covered by an earthen mound and has been used for several generations. The deceased were laid on the floor of the burial chamber and for life in a different world their decorations, ceramics and everyday items were laid with them.
Literature
- Infotafel des Instituts für Denkmalpflege - Außenstelle Lüneburg - in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Landkreis Celle