Archaeologists from the State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology (LDA) have unearthed a mysterious tunnel within a Neolithic ditch enclosure near Reinstedt. Germany.
Experts suggest that the tunnel, which dates to the late Middle Ages, is a so-called “Erdstall” – a tunnel or passage with a single narrow, concealed entry point. Erdstall tunnels are found throughout Europe, but their origins and function remain a mystery.
Some scholars have interpreted them as hiding places for cultic practices, for storage, or as a refuge during times of conflict.
The discovery near Reinstedt was made in preparation for the construction of wind turbines, when LDA archaeologists found a trapezoidal ditch associated with the Baalberge people – a late Neolithic “culture” that emerged in central Germany between 4000 and 3150 BC.
Along the southern section of the ditch, archaeologists uncovered an oval pit approximately two metres long, accompanied by a large stone slab that initially suggested a burial feature. Closer examination revealed that the pit’s fill sloped diagonally northward and extended far deeper, leading into the interior of the Stone Age structure.
Late medieval pottery and numerous stones were found in the fill, and smaller cavities had also been preserved in the upper part.
“It quickly became clear that this was a so-called ‘Erdstall’. Erdstalls are man-made underground tunnel systems, sometimes with chamber-like extensions, which are found particularly in regions with firm, easily workable soils – such as loess,” said the LDA.
During the layered removal of the fill in the northern part of the Reinstedt earthwork, a narrow, northwest-curving passage was revealed. Inside, a horseshoe, a fox skeleton, and numerous other small mammal bones were found, along with a layer of charcoal at the bottom.
The passage measured between just under one metre and approximately 1.25 metres in height and was between 50 and 70 centimetres wide. At the narrowest point of the entrance, a concentration of larger stones stacked atop one another suggested that the entrance had been deliberately sealed.
“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,” added the LDA.
Sources : State Office for Heritage Management and Archaeology
