Culture Walternienburg-Bernburg is an archaeological complex of Middle Neolithic cultures that existed in the German regions of Saxony-Anhalt , Thuringia and Franconia around 3200 - 2800. BC e. It consisted of two related groups - Bernburg and Walternienburg, whose name was given to the burial sites in Saxony-Anhalt in 1892 and 1911, respectively, archaeologist Alfred Goetze . In 1918, Niels Oberg combined both of the above cultures into a single cultural complex.
These groups were local variants of the funnel-shaped cup culture [1] .
Content
Material Culture
The Walternienienburg group, which existed at the mouth of the Saale River, is characterized by the presence of cups with handles and sharp contours, as well as hanging vessels with ears. Amphoras of the Bernburg group, on the contrary, are rather "pot-bellied", concave, with an s-shaped profile. The ceramics of both groups are decorated with deep notches, which are partially filled with white paste, and therefore stand out for their “color” look. Ceramic drums are also available. Also typical for this culture are double axes , slate knives, triangular and trapezoid arrowheads.
Genetic research
Among mitochondrial haplogroups, haplogroups H, H1e1a3, H5 , K1, K1a , V , X , U5a, U5b, U5b1c1, U5b2a1a , W, and T2b were noted [2] .
Burials
Burials are very diverse in nature. Flat graves, burials in stone sarcophagi and in stone chamber tombs were widespread. Collective burials in “crypts” (examples: Schönstedt , Bentsingerode ), “half-flat megaliths” ( de: Rampenkisten ), and chamber tombs were also common.
Some skulls show signs of trepanation .
Cultivating
178 investigated burials are divided as follows (Stand 1982):
- 86 (48.3%) - Bernburg culture
- 40 (22.5%) - Walternienburg culture
- 12 (6.75%) - a mixture of both cultures
- 34 (19%) - traits common to two cultures
- 5 (2.75%) - a culture of spherical amphorae , which maintained contacts with the Bernburg
- 1 (0.5%) - cord ceramics culture .
The division into two different cultures, Bernburg and Walternienburg, which is observed on the territory of Hesse and Havel, is mainly associated with the funeral rite. Burials of the Bernburg culture are found in Thuringia and in the northern foothills of the Harz, while Walternienburg culture is represented in the vicinity of the Havel. In the area of Quedlinburg, in the eastern foothills of the Harz and in Köthen, a mixture of forms of both cultures is observed.
Settlements
Known settlements such as farmsteads and fortified settlements on the hills. Examples of fortified hilltop settlements with several moats are Langen-Berg near Halle, Schalkenburg near Quenstedt and Steinkulenberg near Derenburg .
Economics
The basis of the economy was agriculture and animal husbandry. It is known that emmer , single-rooted , barley and flax were cultivated. From domestic animals known cows, sheep, pigs, dogs and horses.
Literature
- de: Ernst Probst : Deutschland in der Steinzeit , S. 380–385, München 1991, ISBN 3-572-01058-6
- Birgitt Berthold: Die Totenhütte von Benzingerode , Halle 2008, ISBN 978-3-939414-12-4
- de: Hans-Jürgen Beier : Die Grab- und Bestattungssitten der Walternienburger und der Bernburger Kultur. Wissenschaftliche Beiträge 1984/30 (L19) der Martin-Luther Universität Halle-Wittenberg ISSN 0440-1298
- Karin Schwertfeger: Walternienburger Kultur , S. 195-202. In: H.-J. Beier und R. Einicke (Hrsg.): Das Neolithikum im Mittelelbe-Saale-Gebiet. Eine Übersicht und ein Abriß zum Stand der Forschung . Verlag Beier & Beran. Wilkau-Hasslau. 1994. ISBN 3-930036-05-3
- Marcel Torres-Blanco: Bernburger Kultur , S. 159-177. In: H.-J. Beier und R. Einicke (Hrsg.): Das Neolithikum im Mittelelbe-Saale-Gebiet. Eine Übersicht und ein Abriß zum Stand der Forschung . Verlag Beier & Beran. Wilkau-Hasslau. 1994. ISBN 3-930036-05-3
Notes
- ↑ Approaching Monumentality in Archeology - Google Books
- ↑ European Neolithic DNA (Inaccessible link) . Date of treatment November 22, 2015. Archived March 4, 2016.