Unveiling the Secrets of the Duvensee Moor Burial: Scientists Seek Insights into the Life of a 10,500-Year-Old Individual
Mainz, Germany – Archaeologists from the Leibniz Center for Archaeology in Mainz are delving deeper into the remains of an individual who perished in the Duvensee Moor near Lüchow in Schleswig-Holstein approximately 10,500 years ago.
"Extensive scientific investigations are still required to reconstruct this person’s identity," stated Harald Lübke, excavation director, to the German Press Agency.
Initial Analysis: Male Remains with Potential for DNA
"Anthropological analysis suggests that the remains belong to a male rather than a female," said Lübke. However, the individual’s pelvis, which would provide definitive evidence, was not preserved. The researchers are still uncertain whether the remains contain viable DNA.
"The body was only partially cremated," explained Lübke.
To address these questions, the archaeologists have selected specific bones for both aDNA analysis and radiocarbon dating (C14 dating). Before conducting these analyses, the bones will undergo 3D scanning to create detailed models.
"This will be crucial for a future exhibition," said Lübke, "as we aim to display the preserved remains as a virtual 3D skeletal model."
The Leibniz Center for Archaeology has already procured the necessary equipment, according to Lübke. "Once the bones are documented, we can proceed with the further analyses. However, we have already dated charred wood from the burial site and other artifacts, providing us with a precise age estimate."
Archaeological Hotspot: Centuries of Research
For archaeologists, the Duvensee Moor has been a point of fascination for over a century. Numerous excavations have uncovered more than 20 archaeological sites, including Stone Age settlements.
"When these settlements were inhabited, the last ice age had ended several thousand years earlier," explained Lübke. "The Baltic Sea, as we know it today, did not exist yet, and instead, there were numerous lakes."
The "Jolly Roger" of Lüchow
In 2022, researchers discovered a cremation burial with a skull located just a few meters from the excavation site of the previous year.
"Burnt long bones were found at the base, and skull fragments were placed on top," said Lübke. "They were interlocked, resembling a pirate flag. That’s why we jokingly named it ‘Jolly Roger’ or the ‘Pirate of Lüchow’."
Above this shallow grave, the remains of a funeral pyre with additional burnt bones and charred wood were piled up. "It must have been quite a mound, the upper part of which has since eroded towards the shore," said Lübke. "This erosion is what we initially found in 2022, but couldn’t fully explain."
New Discoveries and Unanswered Questions
In 2024, the team discovered the remains of a burnt hand. "This discovery was significant because it helped us determine the temporal association of the cremation burial within the settlement’s occupation phase," said Lübke. The location of the actual funeral pyre remains unknown.
"However, we believe it was in close proximity to the cremation burial and within our current excavation area," he added.
The archaeologists, in collaboration with the Archaeological State Office of Schleswig-Holstein and the Museum of Archaeology Schloss Gottorf in Schleswig, continue their excavations on the property of farmer Paul Petersen.
"There was a settlement here where people hunted, fished, and roasted hazelnuts," said Lübke. "That alone would have been a remarkable excavation result. But the cremation burial has, of course, overshadowed everything."
Cause of Death and Cultural Significance
Lübke believes that the settlement was abandoned after the cremation burial. Whether the deceased individual was a member of the group or an outsider is a matter of speculation. The cause of death also remains unknown.
"Even if the body had not been partially cremated, it’s rare to find evidence of violent deaths like gunshot or stab wounds unless the bones themselves were struck," explained Lübke.
While the Duvensee Moor burial is the oldest grave in Northern Germany, two discoveries in northern Brandenburg have been dated even earlier. However, those were river finds.
The ongoing research at Duvensee Moor promises to provide tantalizing glimpses into the life and death of an individual who walked the earth over 10,000 years ago.
